Deputy Interior Minister: PM Met Pheu Thai, No Vote Talk
Deputy Interior Minister Pholpeer Suwannacheewi said the Prime Minister shared a meal with Pheu Thai ministers, discussing flood relief and ministry projects but not no‑confidence vote strategy. He said Pheu Thai and Deputy Prime Minister Yotsanan Wongsuwat already know how to proceed, and mocked the opposition’s claims of having a trump card. The meeting focused on flood recovery, with the Prime Minister saying a five‑day debate is too long and leaving timing to the whips.
Pholpeer explained that the gathering was a routine follow‑up after officials had been busy with flood‑relief work. The Prime Minister asked each minister about problems faced by the public during the floods, the progress of compensation payments, and the status of various projects that could be explained in the upcoming no‑confidence debate so the public receives a uniform message. He noted that the debate itself is an opportunity to inform citizens about each ministry’s work. When asked whether Pheu Thai had been asked to prepare to answer the interpellation, Pholpeer said the party would already know because the Prime Minister had previously said ministers should ready information for topics outside their purview, and referenced ministers would respond jointly. He stressed that no discussion of voting direction occurred, as it is a matter of political etiquette and Pheu Thai is the sole party in the coalition. Deputy Prime Minister Yotsanan Wongsuwat, he added, already knows what to do. Regarding the debate’s duration, Pholpeer said the Prime Minister felt five days is too long and left the timing to the government and opposition whips for further consideration. He added that Pheu Thai did not raise any particular concerns; conversation focused on schools affected by floods and, with the Agriculture Ministry, on impacted farmers and fishermen, both registered and unregistered. The Prime Minister urged assistance within the existing legal framework, noting that the two agriculture ministers already have plans to summarize and submit to the Cabinet. Asked about his first words to the ministers, Pholpeer said the Prime Minister simply asked, “How are you all? Are you well?” He described the meal as a work follow‑up, with no mention of KPIs, though the Prime Minister teased those not subject to debate. On the opposition’s interpellation, Pholpeer said he feels confident because many ministers and MPs have already spoken, and he trusts the government and the Prime Minister to provide information for the four agencies he oversees. When questioned about assurances that no cabinet reshuffle will occur before year‑end or early next year, Pholpeer referred to the Prime Minister’s earlier interviews, but the sentence cuts off in the source.
