The United Thai Nation (UTN) Party is in turmoil after 22 MPs, led by deputy leader Suchart Chomklin, submitted a letter to Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra on Monday, calling for a reshuffle of the party’s ministers.
The move, which has sparked internal conflict, suggests that the reshuffling of the Cabinet members is necessary to improve governance and crisis management.
Suchart, who also serves as the deputy commerce minister, argued that the party’s current ministers lack “unquestionable integrity” and that the UTN’s internal mechanisms had failed to identify suitable replacements. He proposed replacing all Cabinet members within the party’s ministerial quota to enhance the party’s effectiveness.
However, the letter quickly hit a snag when UTN Secretary General and Industry Minister Akanat Promphan raised doubts about its legitimacy. Akanat cast doubt on the authenticity of the signatures on the document, claiming that some MPs, particularly all three from Chumphon province, had denied signing it.
He even went as far as to suggest that some of the signatures appeared to be “a kindergartener’s handwriting,” casting further suspicion on the integrity of the letter.
Akanat, clearly upset by the situation, questioned whether Suchart had properly reviewed the contents before submitting it, implying that doing so was “self-inflicted embarrassment” given his position in the party.
He further alleged that the letter was part of a deliberate attempt to discredit the UTN leadership and sow discord within the party, reported Bangkok Post.
“There are ongoing efforts to distort facts and create unrest within the party,” he said, warning that submitting a falsified document to the prime minister could be considered a criminal offence.
Despite the internal infighting, deputy government spokesperson and UTN member Sasikarn Watthanachan suggested the controversy could have political motivations.
She hinted that the letter might be an attempt to derail the UTN’s proposed energy legislation, which includes three key energy-related bills, and destabilise the party as it prepares for legislative sessions.
As the UTN finds itself embroiled in this public scandal, the future of its leadership and the proposed reshuffle remains uncertain.
The party’s internal rifts are now front-page news, and all eyes are on whether the call for a reshuffle will cause further chaos or lead to a stronger, more unified party.
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