The Action Coalition of Thailand, a five-MP party in the coalition government, will propose Anek Laothamatas for the post of labour minister if there is a cabinet reshuffle, party secretary-general Taweesak Na Takuathung said on Wednesday.
The labour portfolio is currently held by MR Chatu Mongol Sonakul, who on Tuesday resigned as leader of the ACT. His resignation took effect immediately, but he remains labour minister in the coalition.
Mr Taweesak said MR Chatu Mongol's resignation as party leader resulted in the dissolution of the seven-member executive committee.
Therefore, the committee members met on Tuesday and decided to call a general assembly on July 5 to elect a new executive committee, he said. The general assembly was originally scheduled for April 30 but was postponed, with permission from the Election Commission, due to the Covid-19 situation.
The general assembly on July will elect a new seven-member executive committee, including the new party leader, he said.
At Tuesday's meeting, the outgoing executive committee had appointed him the acting party leader, Mr Taweesak said.
The party would send a letter officially informing Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha of MR Chatu Mongol's resignation as party leader.
The prime minister would also be informed that if there were a cabinet reshuffle, the ACT would nominate Anek Laothamatas, a founding member of the ACT, for the post of labour minister, replacing MR Chatu Mongol.
Mr Taweesak said the party was previously given a quota of one ministerial post and and that went to MRChatu Mongkol.
However, after the new executive committee was elected, it would not be necessary that the party leader take the labour porfolio, he said.
Mr Anek said he had never hankered for any position, but would comply with any decision made by the general assembly.