Coalition Crumbles

[sandman67]

The Puea Pandin party is withdrawing from the People Power party-led coalition due to disagreements on a number of issues.

The points of contention are the government's push for rewriting the charter, its role in the Preah Vihear temple row, and its poor response to bloody clashes between government supporters and demonstrators.

Puea Pandin leader Suvit Khunkitti told reporters yesterday that his party was pulling out of the coalition due to conflicts with other coalition partners.

He said he made the announcement on behalf of the Puea Pandin executive board and MPs.

He reasoned that the government was preoccupied with rewriting the constitution instead of solving the economic problems which Puea Pandin considered a priority.

Puea Pandin had tried to convince other coalition partners to be mindful of the sensitivity surrounding the Preah Vihear issue, because it concerned the national sovereignty, he said.

''We get along very well on some points, but some of their [coalition partners'] initiatives worry us,'' Mr Suvit added.

''We consider the rise in living expenses the first priority, but other coalition parties think differently.''

Another major reason, Mr Suvit said, was political clashes turning violent recently. Puea Pandin wanted reconciliation, not confrontation, he said.

Mr Suvit said he informed Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej of the decision during the cabinet meeting yesterday and told Chart Thai party leader Banharn Silpa-archa by telephone.

It was reported that he tried to convince Mr Banharn to withdraw as well. Chart Thai and Puea Pandin are close political allies.

As a partner with 24 House seats in the 316-MP coalition, Puea Pandin was given five seats in the Samak cabinet.

Mr Suvit is a deputy prime minister and concurrently the industry minister. Mun Patanotai is the information and communication technology minister, Ranongrak Suwanchawee the deputy finance minister, and Sithichai Kohsurat the deputy interior minister.

Mr Suvit said he believed Puea Pandin MPs would respect the party's resolution and not defect from the party following the pullout announcement.

The decision followed Mr Samak's demand for Mr Suvit to hand his deputy prime minister seat to the PPP, which would leave him with only the industry portfolio, government sources said.

Mr Samak's request reflected the wish of a powerful former Thai Rak Thai party executive who wields influence over the cabinet, said a source.

Mr Suvit is the only deputy prime minister not facing an impeachment motion following the cabinet's handling of the Preah Vihear issue and the constitutional amendment controversy.

A source said the People's Alliance for Democracy, which lodged the impeachment bid, spared Mr Suvit as he has often warned the cabinet against taking hasty steps on crucial issues.

In response to Mr Samak's demand, Mr Suvit convinced a number of Puea Pandin executives, including Phinij Jarusombat and Preecha Laohapongchana, to back his stance before his press conference on the party withdrawal at the Industry Ministry.

Sources also said that 13 Puea Pandin MPs, led by Pairote Suwanchawee, Mrs Ranongrak's husband, and Suchart Tancharoen, a former deputy House speaker, did not want to leave.

If there is a fresh general election, these MPs will join the PPP, according to the sources.

Chart Thai chief adviser and Deputy Prime Minister Sanan Kachornprasart said Mr Suvit's move came as a surprise, but his party would remain in the coalition.

Maj-Gen Sanan said Chart Thai will remain with the coalition as long as the PPP does not violate the five conditions set by the allied parties in forming the coalition government.

The conditions are: reverence for the monarchy, respect for Privy Council president Gen Prem Tinsulanonda, no reprisals against political opponents, no interference in the judicial process against former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, and no meddling with the Assets Scrutiny Committee.

Matchimathipataya party leader and Natural Resources and Environment Minister Anongwan Thepsuthin shares Maj-Gen Sanan's stance, saying she was also surprised by Mr Suvit's announcement, but her 11-MP party would not be pulling out.

Pracharaj party leader Sanoh Thienthong said he had not been informed of Puea Pandin's move beforehand and did not expect the conflict to be settled easily.

Puea Pandin's withdrawal is likely to complicate Mr Samak's cabinet reshuffle, set to be finalised last night.

The sources said that before Mr Suvit's announcement, the reshuffle looked likely to be as follows: Deputy House Speaker Somsak Kiatsuranont would be made social development and human security minister, Preecha Rengsomboonsuk a deputy interior minister, Chaiya Sasomsab the commerce minister, Parnpree Mahitthanukorn a deputy commerce minister, Chawarat Charnveerakul the public health minister, Pol Gen Kowit Watana the interior minister, Sahas Banditkul a deputy prime minister and the transport minister, and Worawat Ua-pinyakul a deputy education minister.

Comment: Rats leaving a sinking ship? Tit for tat for taking away the Deputy PM job?. A moral stance or a petty argument? You go figure.....