ID :
19648
Tue, 09/16/2008 - 12:23
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/19648
The shortlink copeid
Ruling party at odds over naming new premier; could force House dissolution
BANGKOK, Sept 15 (TNA) - The faction of People Power Party (PPP) members of parliament loyal to power broker Newin Chidchob called on the executive board of the ruling party to review its decision reached Monday to name acting prime minister Somchai Wongsawat as new prime minister to succeed Samak Sundaravej.
Last week the Constitution Court stripped Mr. Samak of his post, ruling
that he had illegally accepted payments for hosting television cooking
shows.
An inability of Thaksin-related party to form a united front could cause
a stalemate and necessitate the dissolution of the House, and a snap
election.
Deputy Transport Minister Songsak Thongsri, closely connected with Mr.
Newin, said the Friends-of-Nevin faction which reportedly has more than
70 MPs at its command, urged the PPP executive board to review its
resolution to name Mr. Somchai as premier for approval by a simple
majority of MPs in the House of Representatives Wednesday.
Mr. Newin is a former Thai Rak Thai party executive who was banned from
politics for five years for poll fraud.
Mr. Songsak said he himself was by no means negotiating for a personal
future cabinet seat with the party's executive board but warned that the
'rebel' MPs might not attend Wednesday's session or abstain from voting
for Mr. Somchai, brother-in-law to former premier Thaksin Shinawatra,
should he be eventually nominated.
The deputy transport minister said the PPP executive board should have
listened more attentively to viewpoints of the party's rank and file and
those of their constituents when it comes to choosing an appropriate
person to head the coalition government.
MP Boonchong Wongtrairat, one of the Friends-of-Nevin faction MPs who
staged a walkout from the special party meeting at PPP headquarters Monday
in apparent protest of the PPP executive board's decision, criticised that
the naming of Mr. Somchai might merely intensify the prolonged political
crisis and lead to intensified confrontations among opposing
demonstrators.
However, the rebel faction stopped short of confirming the speculation
that they would prefer PPP secretary general/Finance Minister Surapong
Suebwonglee instead of Mr. Somchai for premier.
Mr. Surapong confirmed that he had been assigned to inform the leadership
of all the coalition parties Tuesday of the naming of a new premier by the
ruling party so that it will be finally proposed to the House of
Representatives for approval Wednesday.
The People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), the anti-government coalition
which has occupied Government House compound for nearly three weeks,
declared they would continue their protests as they would never accept
anyone from the PPP to become prime minister.
Karn Tienkaew, deputy PPP party leader, said there is the possibility that
a dissolution of the House will take place if there is no consensus among
the PPP party members over the nomination of Mr. Somchai as the new
premier Monday night. (TNA)
Last week the Constitution Court stripped Mr. Samak of his post, ruling
that he had illegally accepted payments for hosting television cooking
shows.
An inability of Thaksin-related party to form a united front could cause
a stalemate and necessitate the dissolution of the House, and a snap
election.
Deputy Transport Minister Songsak Thongsri, closely connected with Mr.
Newin, said the Friends-of-Nevin faction which reportedly has more than
70 MPs at its command, urged the PPP executive board to review its
resolution to name Mr. Somchai as premier for approval by a simple
majority of MPs in the House of Representatives Wednesday.
Mr. Newin is a former Thai Rak Thai party executive who was banned from
politics for five years for poll fraud.
Mr. Songsak said he himself was by no means negotiating for a personal
future cabinet seat with the party's executive board but warned that the
'rebel' MPs might not attend Wednesday's session or abstain from voting
for Mr. Somchai, brother-in-law to former premier Thaksin Shinawatra,
should he be eventually nominated.
The deputy transport minister said the PPP executive board should have
listened more attentively to viewpoints of the party's rank and file and
those of their constituents when it comes to choosing an appropriate
person to head the coalition government.
MP Boonchong Wongtrairat, one of the Friends-of-Nevin faction MPs who
staged a walkout from the special party meeting at PPP headquarters Monday
in apparent protest of the PPP executive board's decision, criticised that
the naming of Mr. Somchai might merely intensify the prolonged political
crisis and lead to intensified confrontations among opposing
demonstrators.
However, the rebel faction stopped short of confirming the speculation
that they would prefer PPP secretary general/Finance Minister Surapong
Suebwonglee instead of Mr. Somchai for premier.
Mr. Surapong confirmed that he had been assigned to inform the leadership
of all the coalition parties Tuesday of the naming of a new premier by the
ruling party so that it will be finally proposed to the House of
Representatives for approval Wednesday.
The People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), the anti-government coalition
which has occupied Government House compound for nearly three weeks,
declared they would continue their protests as they would never accept
anyone from the PPP to become prime minister.
Karn Tienkaew, deputy PPP party leader, said there is the possibility that
a dissolution of the House will take place if there is no consensus among
the PPP party members over the nomination of Mr. Somchai as the new
premier Monday night. (TNA)
