Prawit: No conflict in PPRP

Prawit: No conflict in PPRP

Deputy Prime Minister and Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) leader Prawit Wongsuwon attends a party meeting on Feb 7, 2022. (File photo: Varuth Hirunyatheb, Bangkok Post)
Deputy Prime Minister and Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) leader Prawit Wongsuwon attends a party meeting on Feb 7, 2022. (File photo: Varuth Hirunyatheb, Bangkok Post)

Deputy Prime Minister and Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) leader Prawit Wongsuwon has insisted that there are no conflicts in the ruling party, following the expulsion of 21 MPs in January.

Gen Prawit also maintained that he and Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha will remain united and will not part company in any circumstances.

The deputy prime minister returned to work on Thursday after taking sick leave on Monday. He reportedly fell ill from food poisoning. 

The PPRP is due to hold a meeting towards the end of next month to reshuffle its executive board, prompted by its decision to expel 21 MPs belonging to a faction led by former party secretary-general Capt Thamanat Prompow, who was also purged.

At least 18 MPs from the faction have defected to the Setthakij Thai Party (Thai Economic Party).

Despite what appeared to be their bitter exit from the PPRP, the MPs will continue to support the government, according to Gen Prawit. 

"There's no major issue as far as restructuring the board is concerned. All that needs to be done is finding people to fill [some vacant seats left by the Thamanat Prompow group members]," the PPRP leader said. 

Gen denied there was any conflict within the PPRP. No more members will leave the party, he added.

"Unless the party banishes anyone, how can they leave and expect to be able to move to another party?" he asked. 

If MPs resign from a party, they automatically lose their MP status. But if they are expelled, they can find a new party to subscribe to within 30 days.

However, it remains unclear if Setthakij Thai would receive cabinet seats if the party backed the government. "It's up to Gen Prayut to decide," Gen Prawit said. 

Gen Prayut was at odds with Capt Thamanat after the latter allegedly tried to mobilise no-confidence votes against him in a censure debate in September last year. 

Digital Economy and Society (DES) Minister and PPRP list-MP Chaiwut Thanakamanusorn said the party was still united and stable.

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