MP formally breaks away from the coalition over Thammanat Prompao remarks

PHOTO: “Hello?! Did someone ask me something?

Mr. Pichet Sathirachavan, leader of Prachatham Thai party, has formally announced they have decided to break away from the governing coalition to join the independent opposition camp with the New Civilized party.

Yesterday PM Prayut Chan-o-cha covered one of his ears with his hand as he pretended not to hear one of many questions about the announcement that the Prachatham Thai party will pull out of the government’s coalition.

Mr. Pichet Sathirachavan told the media that his party remained upset over a remark, allegedly made by the embattled Deputy Agriculture Minister Thammanat Prompao, the government’s ‘fixer’, describing the ten smallest parties in the government as “monkeys which need to be fed with bananas every now and then”.

However, Energy Minister Sontirat Sontijirawong, whose hearing appeared to be much better than the PMs, and in his capacity as secretary-general of the Palang Pracharat party, told the media that the party was trying to meet with Mr. Pichet to discuss the problem caused the offensive remark.

He declined to comment on whether he thought the party would be able to convince Mr. Pichet to change his mind but did say he expected the party to discuss whether Thammanat should be replaced as the government’s fixer.

At a news conference yesterday, Mr. Pichet also put on display a bunch of bananas in protest against what he considered an insult against the smaller parties.

Last week, Mr. Pichet also threatened to quit the coalition after his party was passed over for the chairmanship of a House committee.

SOURCE: Thai PBS World