Deputy Prime Minister and Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) leader Gen Prawit Wongsuwon is not leaving politics just yet and has never knocked back the prospect of a post in the next government, deputy PPRP leader Chaiwut Thanakamanusorn said.
Mr Chaiwut, who serves as Digital Economy and Society Minister, was speaking following a report the PPRP would join a coalition government led by the Pheu Thai Party.
According to a source, Pheu Thai has now sealed a deal with the PPRP and the party has agreed to vote for Pheu Thai's prime ministerial candidate in exchange for slices of the cabinet quota cake.
The source said the Pheu Thai-led coalition would be down to 278 MPs from the previous 315 MPs reported on Friday as the United Thai Nation Party has not yet confirmed its support.
Asked whether Gen Prawit would accept any cabinet post in the Pheu Thai-led coalition government after a report surfaced that he would let his younger brother Pol Gen Patcharawat Wongsuwon, the PPRP's chief adviser, take a cabinet post instead, Mr Chaiwut said: "[Gen Prawit] never said he would not accept a post.'' Mr Chaiwut said Gen Prawit remains the party's leader and PM candidate.
Quizzed about Phai Lik, a PPRP MP for Kamphaeng Phet, who earlier said PPRP's 40 MPs would vote for Pheu Thai's PM candidate, Mr Chaiwut said that was the opinion of some MPs. Mr Chaiwut said the party will meet to decide whether to join the Pheu Thai-led coalition.
Deputy UTN leader Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana also said on Saturday that the party will meet on Tuesday to discuss whether it will take part in the coalition.