PPP secretary-general to renounce loyalty to Prawit

The Palang Pracharath Party’s (PPP) embattled secretary-general is set to drop a political bombshell in a press conference this afternoon. The caretaker agriculture minister is widely expected to renounce his loyalty to the party leader, General Prawit Wongsuwan, in a dramatic turn of events that could shake the party to its core.

Thamanat Prompow announced the press conference, scheduled for 2pm at the Agriculture Ministry, a location that has left many political observers speculating about his intentions. His choice of venue, rather than the PPP head office, fuelled speculation that this is not just another routine briefing but a deliberate move to signal his growing rift with Prawit.

The tension between the two heavyweights has been escalating, especially after Prawit’s recent declaration that the PPP would remain a partner in the Pheu Thai-led coalition government. However, in a move that stunned many, Prawit excluded Thamanat from the list of PPP ministers in Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra’s new Cabinet. The exclusion came amid rumours that Paetongtarn’s father, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, was pushing Thamanat to lead a revolt against Prawit.

Thamanat, reportedly commanding fewer than 20 MPs, is now at a crossroads. If he turns against Prawit, he could approach the Pheu Thai Party for a quota of Cabinet seats, potentially at the expense of Prawit’s faction. However, if Prawit acts swiftly and orders the PPP executive board to expel Thamanat and his allies, they could find a new political home with the Kla Tham Party, reported The Nation.

In related news, Prawit finds himself in hot water after allegedly intimidating a Thai PBS reporter. The incident, which has sparked outrage, is now being condemned by both Thai PBS and the Thai Journalists’ Association (TJA).

General Prawit, who harboured ambitions of becoming Thailand’s prime minister, was visibly agitated when the reporter questioned him about the live broadcast of MPs voting for Pheu Thai party leader Paetongtarn Shinawatra as the nation’s 31st prime minister.