Thaksin 'confused' by Chuvit's secret-coalition claim

Move Forward leader Pita Limjaroenrat, centre left, and Pheu Thai leader Cholnan Srikaew shake hands at a press conference on May 22. (File photo: Varuth Hirunyatheb)
Move Forward leader Pita Limjaroenrat, centre left, and Pheu Thai leader Cholnan Srikaew shake hands at a press conference on May 22. (File photo: Varuth Hirunyatheb)

Fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra says he was left flabbergasted by the allegation of a "secret deal" for the Pheu Thai Party to form a coalition government with former parties in the government bloc.

Thaksin strongly denied the Pheu Thai move to a new coalition on Twitter on Sunday, after whistleblower Chuvit Kamolvisit posted on social media earlier that day.

Mr Chuvit said a "secret deal" had been reached by Pheu Thai, Bhumjaithai, Palang Pracharath, Democrat and Chartthaipattana parties to form a coalition.

The deal was struck while Pheu Thai was still in the process of thrashing out differences with Move Forward and six other smaller parties in a planned coalition government. Pheu Thai's U-turn would leave Move Forward on the opposition benches, Mr Chuvit said in his social media post.

According to Mr Chuvit, this Pheu Thai-led coalition would be endorsed by over 376 votes at a joint sitting of parliament, with the support of senators, as required by the law.

The "secret deal" included conditions for Thaksin's return home from Dubai, where he lives in political exile, according to Mr Chuvit.

The success of the negotiations had been reported to Thaksin, who was waiting to hear the result in Singapore, according to Mr Chuvit, who said he would rather keep his source of information secret.

He quoted the source as saying that Move Forward was too much of a risk factor and its leader Pita Limjaroenrat's aspirations for the job of prime minister would be shattered.

On his Twitter post, Thaksin said: "I am flabbergasted by Mr Chuvit's mentioning of a secret deal. The allegation was made despite the fact that Paetongtarn 'Ung Ing' Shinawatra, Pheu Thai's prime ministerial candidate, has reiterated support for Mr Pita, the Move Forward Party, to be prime minister.

"I myself have never met with representatives of any party and never received a phone call. I'm totally confused."

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Vocabulary

  • aspiration: something that you want to achieve, or the wish to achieve something - ความปรารถนา,ความอยาก
  • coalition: a temporary union of different political parties that agree to form a government together - พรรคร่วมรัฐบาล
  • confused: unable to understand something or think clearly about it - สับสน
  • endorse (verb): to support; to approve - รับรอง, เห็นชอบ
  • exile: a situation in which you live in a foreign country because you feel you cannot live in your own country, usually for political reasons - การลี้ภัย การถูกขับออกนอกประเทศ
  • flabbergasted: very surprised, shocked, speechless; dumbfounded -
  • fugitive (noun): someone who has been accused of doing something illegal and is trying to avoid being caught by the police - ผู้หลบหนี
  • negotiations: formal discussion in which people or groups try to reach an agreement - การเจรจาต่อรอง
  • reiterated: repeated something in order to emphasise it or make it very clear to people - ยืนยันตามเดิม
  • senator: a member of the Senate - วุฒิสมาชิก
  • shattered: badly damaged or destroyed - ที่เสียหายป่นปี้
  • thrash out: to discuss something until you find a solution or reach an agreement - ยกขึ้นมาพิจารณาเพื่อหาคำตอบ
  • U-turn (noun): a complete change in policy or behaviour, usually one that is embarrassing; a turn of 180° that a vehicle makes so that it can move forwards in the opposite direction - การเปลี่ยนโดยสิ้นเชิง, การเลี้ยวหรือทางเลี้ยวเป็นรูปตัว "U"
  • whistleblower: a person who informs people in authority or the public that someone is doing something wrong or illegal -
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