ID :
19717
Tue, 09/16/2008 - 14:38
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/19717
The shortlink copeid
SPLINTER GROUP NOT IN FAVOUR OF THAKSIN'S BROTHER-IN-LAW By D. Arul Rajoo
BANGKOK, Sept 16 (Bernama) -- Somchai Wongsawat, the brother-in-law of ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra is facing dissidents within his own party in his attempt to become the 26th prime minister of Thailand after a splinter group linked to disqualified premier Samak Sundaravej has vowed not to support his bid.
Group spokesman Boonjong Wongtrairat said 73 members of parliament (MP) in
their rank were unhappy with the selection of Somchai and wanted the party's
executive board to reverse the decision.
"We cannot accept Somchai's candidancy. We want other candidates," Boonjong
told a press conference just hours after the executive committee agreed
unanimously to name the acting prime minister and education minister as the
party's choice when Parliament meets on Wednesday to elect the new prime
minister.
Boonjong's group from northeast is under the influence of former minister
Newin Chidchob, who is closely linked with Samak.
On Friday, Samak's comeback bid was dashed when his own party lawmakers
from
another group from the north who favoured Somchai, snubbed him in
Parliament.
With Samak out of running, the group wants People Power Party (PPP)
secretary-general and Finance Minister Surapong Suebwonglee as the new prime
minister.
On Sept 9, Samak was disqualified by the Constitution Court for violating
the Constitution by hosting the "Tasting and Grumbling" and "All Set at 6am"
cooking programmes while still in office.
A former judge, Somchai, 60, is the husband of Yaowapa, younger sister of
Thaksin. He is a law graduate from Thammasat University and holds a masters
degree in Public Administration from National Institute of Development
Administration (NIDA).
If endorsed by parliament, he will be the fourth prime minister in three
years.
He was the justice ministry's permanent secretary during the Sept 19, 2006
coup that ousted Thaksin. The soft-spoken Somchai quit his post and made his
cabinet debut when PPP won the Dec 23, 2006 election.
Other five parties in the seven-month-old coalition government has
reiterated their stance to remain in the coalition and support any candidate put
forward by PPP, the party with the largest number of MPs in the 480-seat Lower
House of Representatives.
But with the PPP again failing to close ranks and support a single
candidate, it's likely that they may refrain from voting on Wednesday, similar
to last Friday's incident when MPs from several parties boycotted the session
because of disagreement over the choice of Samak.
Thailand has been in political turmoil since Aug 26 when thousands of
anti-government protesters under the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD)
seized the Prime Minister's Office at the Government House.
But after Samak's exit, the PAD remained defiant and vowed to stay put as
long as someone from PPP took over.
Group spokesman Boonjong Wongtrairat said 73 members of parliament (MP) in
their rank were unhappy with the selection of Somchai and wanted the party's
executive board to reverse the decision.
"We cannot accept Somchai's candidancy. We want other candidates," Boonjong
told a press conference just hours after the executive committee agreed
unanimously to name the acting prime minister and education minister as the
party's choice when Parliament meets on Wednesday to elect the new prime
minister.
Boonjong's group from northeast is under the influence of former minister
Newin Chidchob, who is closely linked with Samak.
On Friday, Samak's comeback bid was dashed when his own party lawmakers
from
another group from the north who favoured Somchai, snubbed him in
Parliament.
With Samak out of running, the group wants People Power Party (PPP)
secretary-general and Finance Minister Surapong Suebwonglee as the new prime
minister.
On Sept 9, Samak was disqualified by the Constitution Court for violating
the Constitution by hosting the "Tasting and Grumbling" and "All Set at 6am"
cooking programmes while still in office.
A former judge, Somchai, 60, is the husband of Yaowapa, younger sister of
Thaksin. He is a law graduate from Thammasat University and holds a masters
degree in Public Administration from National Institute of Development
Administration (NIDA).
If endorsed by parliament, he will be the fourth prime minister in three
years.
He was the justice ministry's permanent secretary during the Sept 19, 2006
coup that ousted Thaksin. The soft-spoken Somchai quit his post and made his
cabinet debut when PPP won the Dec 23, 2006 election.
Other five parties in the seven-month-old coalition government has
reiterated their stance to remain in the coalition and support any candidate put
forward by PPP, the party with the largest number of MPs in the 480-seat Lower
House of Representatives.
But with the PPP again failing to close ranks and support a single
candidate, it's likely that they may refrain from voting on Wednesday, similar
to last Friday's incident when MPs from several parties boycotted the session
because of disagreement over the choice of Samak.
Thailand has been in political turmoil since Aug 26 when thousands of
anti-government protesters under the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD)
seized the Prime Minister's Office at the Government House.
But after Samak's exit, the PAD remained defiant and vowed to stay put as
long as someone from PPP took over.
