The People’s Party leader denied claims his party struck a secret deal with Bhumjaithai to protect MPs under investigation over lese majeste.
The controversy centres on 44 lawmakers who were previously members of the dissolved Move Forward Party (MFP) before joining the People’s Party. They are currently under investigation for allegedly pushing to amend Section 112 of the Criminal Code, also known as the lese majeste law. A guilty verdict could see them stripped of MP status and banned from politics.
Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut moved to quash claims that his party struck a deal with Bhumjaithai in exchange for political backing. Rumours suggested PP had supported Bhumjaithai’s efforts to form a minority government in return for help easing the MPs’ legal battles.
“There is no such agreement. The public should judge us based on what we do, not rumours.”
Asked about the prospects of his MPs surviving the ongoing investigation, he said it was too soon to predict an outcome but voiced confidence in the party’s legal team.
Shifting focus, Natthaphong said that the real test lay in holding the government accountable. He urged Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul to set a clear timeline for constitutional reform so the public could properly monitor progress.
On criticism that the PP’s popularity has dipped, the party leader acknowledged voter frustration but maintained that its push for a new charter, dissolving Parliament and triggering fresh elections would ultimately justify its stance.
He also left the door open to Bhumjaithai’s prospects, saying that if Anutin’s party delivered on its promises within the next four months, it could provide a genuine alternative for the electorate, reported Bangkok Post.
For now, Natthaphong is standing firm: no backroom deals, no hidden pacts, just a commitment to push ahead with constitutional change, and let the courts decide the fate of the MPs facing trial.
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