Thailand: Prayut denies cabinet reshuffle, PPRP to back him in next election

• Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on 4 Oct 21 poured cold water on speculation that a cabinet reshuffle involving key ministerial posts may be imminent.
• In the rumoured shake-up, Supachai Panitchpakdi, the former secretary-general of the UN Conference on Trade and Development, was to be made head of the government’s economic team take on the energy portfolio as well as title of deputy prime minister.
• Interior Minister Anupong Paojinda was also said to be assuming a dual role as another deputy prime minister while Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai was thought to be losing his foreign minister seat.
• Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon also denied a cabinet reshuffle was upcoming as there were other, more pressing priorities to attend to, such as the flood crisis. Gen Prawit, who also leads the ruling Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP), said the prime minister has not consulted him over any changes to the present line-up.
• In a related development, the PPRP will back Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha’s bid for another term at the next election, according to a party source.
• Prawit reportedly told a meeting of party heavyweights on 30 Sep 21 that the PPRP will nominate Gen Prayut as prime minister in the next poll.
• Gen Wit Devahastin na Ayudhya, newly appointed chairman of the PPRP’s strategic committee; party secretary-general Capt Thamanat Prompow; and party treasurer Narumon Pinyosinwat were reportedly present at the meeting, where attendees discussed local elections and the national contest.
• According to the source, Gen Prawit expects the party to win 150–200 House seats in the general election after “professionals” have been brought in.
• However, Prawit’s support for Prayut to rerun for PM remains ambiguous, as some of his actions contradicted his stance. He declined to comment on media reports of Col Suchart Chantarachotikul, chief of the PPRP’s southern strategic team, who defected to a new party. According to Col Suchart, the main rationale behind joining a new political party is that the latter will back Prayut as PM in the upcoming elections, hinting that the PPRP wanted otherwise.
• When asked if the PPRP would back Prayut in the next election, Prawit simply walked away from the question.

External Link : https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/politics/2192275/prayut-denies-rumours-of-imminent-reshuffle

External Link : https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/politics/2191055/pprp-vows-to-keep-prayut-as-premier-candidate