The abrupt resignation of Labour Minister MR Chatu Mongol Sonakul on Tuesday as leader of the Action Coalition for Thailand (ACT) was a prelude to an imminent cabinet shake-up, according to a source within the ruling Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP).
Despite its small size, the ACT is a key partner of the PPRP and the party is paving the way for the Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to reshuffle his cabinet, the source said.
Following his resignation, ACT secretary-general Thawisak Na Takuathung said the party would next send a letter to Gen Prayut, not only to inform him about the resignation, but also to propose Anek Laothamatas to succeed MR Chatu Mongol as Labour Minister if the PM reshuffles his cabinet.
Despite his resignation from the ACT, MR Chatu Mongol will remain Labour Minister until he is replaced, said Mr Thawisak yesterday.
The PPRP source said the ACT will elect its new executives on July 5 -- just two days after the PPRP is scheduled to elect their own.
MR Chatu Mongol was actually about to complete his two-year tenure at the helm of the ACT in about 45 days when he tendered his resignation, said the source.
The real driver behind this change in the ACT is none other but Suthep Thaugsuban, a party founder and former leader of the now-dissolved People's Democratic Reform Committee, who is working together with powerful figures orchestrating a similar move in the PPRP.
The PPRP is now aiming to sideline Finance Minister and acting party leader Uttama Savanayana, and replace him with Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon, the party's chief strategist, said the source.
Meanwhile, a cabinet reshuffle to reallocate cabinet seats to all parties within the coalition is expected to take place in August, said a source at Government House.
The government coalition now has 277 MPs in hand -- up from 255 -- and the cabinet position quotas held by coalition partners need to be adjusted to reflect the increase in MP numbers in certain parties, said the source.
Some of the new MPs were Future Forward Party members who defected to Bhumjaithai after it was dissolved, while others won seats following PPRP victories in several by-elections, said the source.
As there are 277 MPs in the coalition and a total of 35 cabinet positions, a cabinet post should be awarded to a party for every eight MPs it has in the House.
The Democrat Party, which has 52 MPs and holds seven cabinet posts, may possibly have to lose at least one post in the coming reshuffle, said the source.
The ACT, although it has only five MPs, will likely get one cabinet seat as a reward for Mr Suthep, the source added.