Seat allocation irks PPRP allies

Seat allocation irks PPRP allies

Sam Mitr Group to 'review' current ties

The latest reallocation of cabinet seats could spell trouble for the Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) as the Sam Mitr (Three Allies) Group is threatening to review its ties with the PPRP, a party source said on Friday.

Two key Sam Mitr figures -- Suriya Jungrungreangkit and Somsak Thepsuthin -- on Tuesday met a senior government figure at a military camp to discuss the redistribution of cabinet seats, the source told the Bangkok Post.

The figure, who is believed to "wield clout in the government", told Mr Suriya, who had been promised the post of energy minister, to swap seats with PPRP secretary-general Sontirat Sontijirawong, who had been tipped to be industry minister.

In addition, Anucha Nakhasai, a PPRP MP for Chai Nat and a member of the Sam Mitr group, will also have to give up the deputy finance minister post -- which he had been promised -- to Chartpattana Party leader Tewan Liptapanlop.

Even though Chartpattana has only three MPs, the PPRP has to keep its promise to the party that it would be part of the cabinet if the PPRP forms a new government, the source said.

The source admitted that while Sam Mitr, which has 30 MPs under its wing, can accept the exclusion of Mr Anucha from the cabinet, the shunting of Mr Suriya from the energy portfolio will cause rifts in the party.

Somsak Thepsuthin, another key figure of the group, will still become the next justice minister as had been agreed upon with the PPRP.

"Sam Mitr will wait for a reply from Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha who has made promises over cabinet seats. If the agreement is not honoured, the group will review its ties with the party," the source said.

Gen Prayut earlier said that the cabinet line-up will likely be forwarded for royal endorsement following his return from the two-day G20 summit in Japan, which ends today.

A new government is expected to be announced by the middle of July.

Mr Anucha told the Bangkok Post that he did not give any credence to reports that he would be sidelined from the cabinet.

He said that on June 11, Gen Prayut promised that he would become deputy finance minister and Mr Suriya would become energy minister.

"I believe the prime minister is a man of his word," Mr Anucha said.

The source also said that Mr Suriya was not satisfied that those who wield power behind the PPRP have favoured two list MPs of the PPRP -- Nathapol Teepsuwan and Buddhipongse Punnakanta -- who helped the PPRP win 13 House seats in Bangkok in the election.

The pair were former protest leaders of the now-dissolved People's Democratic Reform Committee.

Suchart Chomklin, a PPRP MP for Chon Buri, will also be axed from the cabinet line-up after he was promised the post of labour minister. Mr Suchart leads a faction of 16 MPs from provinces in the Central Region.

The cabinet's secretariat on Friday sent qualification forms to nominees for cabinet posts to fill out, but Mr Suchart said that he did not receive a form, and admitted that he may not be given the labour minister post.

"But if things turn out this way, I don't know if the number of House seats in the Central region will remain the same in the next election," Mr Suchart said.

Akkara Prompao, who was earlier tipped to become digital economy and society minister, is also expected to be left out of the cabinet in the latest reallocation of seats.

However, Mr Akkara said he respected the decision of the senior figures. If he is unable to be part of the cabinet, he will devote himself to local politics instead.

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