Last updated on May 6th, 2021 at 10:30 am
The Democratic Party has not been informed of a cabinet reshuffle that might settle on its place in parliament, party chief Jurin Laksanawisit stated. If there is to be a reshuffle in the near future, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha would initiate it, he said, before adding: “There has been no signal from him to such effect so far.
He made the remarks yesterday at a get-together session at the group in Rayong. It was held ahead of the Democrat’s planned July 19 general assembly. Mr Jurin said the Democrats would maintain their current quota of seven ministers if the prime minister doesn’t offer any hint of a cabinet post reallocation. He stressed that when it comes to a cabinet shake-up, any path leads to the Prime Minister.
Nevertheless, he refused to respond to a suggestion that the next reshuffle was a small one that included only ministerial seats under the quota of the governing Palang Pracharath Group. After the departure of Finance Minister Uttama Savanayana, Power Minister Sontirat Sontijirawong and Higher Education , Technology, Research and Innovation Minister Suvit Maesincee as representatives of PPRP, the governing party is likely to be more highly inspired to shift its ministerial portfolios around.
Mr Uttama, the former chief of the PPRP, and Mr Sontirat, the former secretary-general of the ruling party, shaped the core of the economic team headed by Somkid Jatusripitak, deputy prime minister of government. Mr Somkid said on Friday that if Prime Minister Prayut wants to reshuffle the cabinet he is prepared to embrace his fate. While it remains uncertain if the allocation of economic portfolios with Mr Uttama and Mr Sontirat at the forefront stays with Gen Prayut or the PPRP, his remark fuelled rumors of the whole economic team being replaced.
The Ministries of Economic Relations also comprise the Department of Commerce. Mr Jurin said the Democrats requested the seven ministerial posts as a prerequisite of entering the coalition government.
If this situation is to be improved, they need to be told in advance.
