Phumtham denies knowledge of Thaksin-Thanathorn talks

 

Caretaker Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai speaks to reporters at Government House on Saturday after a special cabinet meeting, which appointed him as acting prime minister. Looking on is Theerarat Samrejvanich, the caretaker deputy interior minister. (Photo: Apichart Jinakul)

        Acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai has denied reports that         former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra was planning to meet Thanathorn     Juangroongruangkit, a key figure behind the People’s Party, as speculation         mounts about the formation of a new government.

“I have no knowledge of this matter,” Mr Phumtham told reporters at Government House on Saturday.

“Now, all party members are fully engaged in their respective duties, but I can confirm that the Pheu Thai Party is actively pursuing negotiations with the People’s Party to secure parliamentary support for forming a new government,” he added.

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He was responding to reports that Thaksin, the de facto leader of the Pheu Thai Party, was planning to hold talks with Thanathorn, chairman of the Progressive Movement and former leader of the now-dissolved Future Forward Party.

Future Forward was the predecessor of the Move Forward Party, which was dissolved after the 2023 election that it won, and subsequently succeeded by a third incarnation, the People’s Party.

The Pheu Thai and Bhumjaithai parties are competing to put together a coalition, and each has been courting the People’s Party, the largest in parliament.

On Saturday, the People’s Party said it had not entered into any agreements with any groups and was prepared to consider all proposals if its conditions are met.

Mr Thanathorn confirmed on Saturday afternoon that Thaksin had called him on Thursday and that they met in person on Saturday morning. Thaksin asked whether the People’s Party would vote to support Pheu Thai candidate Chaikasem Nitisiri for prime minister, he said.

Mr ​Thanathorn said he reiterated the conditions the People’s Party has set. If Pheu Thai accepts those conditions, he said, Thaksin should speak directly with the party’s leader, Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut.

Thaksin also met with Thanathorn in Hong Kong after the May 14 general election in 2023. At the time Move Forward was attempting to form a coalition with Pheu Thai but their deal later fell apart.

Mr Thanathorn’s uncle, Suriya Jungrungruangkit, is one of Thaksin’s oldest political allies and served as transport minister in the now-dissolved administration of Paetongtarn Shinawatra, Thaksin's daughter.

Mr Phumtham, a caretaker deputy prime minister and interior minister, was appointed acting prime minister with full authority at a special cabinet meeting on Saturday following the Constitutional Court’s ruling to dismiss Ms Paetongtarn from office on Friday.

He said formal discussions with the People’s Party would take place once a prime ministerial candidate is officially nominated in parliament.

“At this stage, all sides are still in the negotiation process,” he said.

There have also been reports that the Pheu Thai negotiating team would be meeting at the Conrad Hotel on Saturday afternoon, to which Mr Phumtham responded tersely, “I don’t know where that news came from.”

Sorawong Thienthong, the caretaker minister of tourism and sports and secretary-general of the Pheu Thai Party, greets reporters as he arrives at Government House for the cabinet meeting on Saturday. (Photo: Apichart Jinakul)

Tourism and Sports Minister Sorawong Thienthong, who serves as Pheu Thai secretary-general, also acknowledged that informal talks with People’s Party had taken place.

He said the party was open to the three proposals raised by the People’s Party, although opinions among Pheu Thai MPs varied. “We still have time to discuss these matters, and we are willing to consider them,” he said.

He stressed that the party would not make empty promises. “If we commit to something and cannot deliver, it will only backfire. The proposals are not impossible, but we must be realistic about what can actually be achieved,” said the Pheu Thai secretary-general.

One of the key conditions of the People’s Party is that the next government must lay the groundwork to draft a new constitution. As far as this is concerned, Mr Sorawong urged observers to consider which parties had previously obstructed such reforms, a veiled reference to Bhumjaithai.

“We must be prudent. It’s not about making promises just to gain power,” he said, suggesting that the proposed four-month timeline for the interim government proposed by the People’s Party might be extended to six months through negotiation.

Asked whether formal talks with the People’s Party were imminent, he said the parties were still working things out behind the scenes.

“Once everything is finalised, a formal invitation will be extended. Every decision we make must be feasible,” he emphasised.

Mr Sorawong also remarked that although Pheu Thai and Move Forward had previously parted ways politically, they shared the same democratic ideals.

“In truth, we are of the same stream, but political circumstances forced us apart. Our common stance has always been to uphold democracy,” he said.