Udomdej Rattanasathien on Wednesday revealed he had resigned as government chief whip late last year, but denied a report that he did so out of dissatisfaction because the Pheu Thai Party is not fielding Khunying Sudarat Keyuraphan as its candidate in the coming Bangkok governor election, saying that his health was the reason.
Udomdej Rattanasathien (Photo by Kosol Nakachol)
He said this in an interview with a radio programme on FM 97 Mhz station.
Mr Udomdej rsaid he submit the resignation letter on Nov 26 during the no-confidence debate. The resignation took effect on Nov 28 when parliament went into recess.
He said that after undergoing balloon dilation of clogged blood vessels on Sept 27 last year doctors advised him to take better care of his health, prompting him to think about resigning.
Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra had already acknowledged his resignation, but he did not want it to be in the news.
When parliament reconvened the ordinary session, a deputy government chief whip has taken over his duties, Mr Udomdej said.
Mr Udomdej said his resiganation had nothing to do with the selection of a candidate to run in the Bangkok governor election.
Pheu Thai secretary-general Phumtham Vejjayachai had said that leaders of the party's three Bangkok zones had settled on a candidate, who would appear before the party's executive committee on Jan 14 and the party would announce the name on Jan 15, he said.
Ms Yingluck also said in a separate interview that Mr Udomdej did not resign because he was dissatisfied with the party's selection of a candidate for the Bangkok governor election, but for personal reasons.
She said confirmed the party had picked a candidate who would appear before the executive committee on Jan 14, but declined to name the person.