PM Anutin confident of coalition’s stability despite mounting challenges

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said last night he was confident in his government’s stability despite his declining approval rating and a looming no-confidence debate by the opposition.

However, he hinted at the possibility of a Cabinet reshuffle that would likely see the Kla Tham Party of controversial political veteran Thammanat Promphao brought into the coalition.

“My government is stable as ever. Even the opposition has voted for the government,” Anutin told Thai PBS World, apparently referring to Kla Tham, the medium-sized opposition party whose MPs recently broke rank with the opposition bloc to vote for the Anutin government’s budget bill.

Kla Tham Party’s support for the bill last month came amid speculation that it was being approached by Anutin to join his government. It is also widely speculated that all of Kla Tham’s MPs will vote for Anutin, who is expected to be the prime target in the event of an anticipated no-confidence motion.

Anutin said he was not concerned by the challenges his government is facing.

Many of the executives and MPs of the ruling Bhumjaithai Party, including Prime Minister Anutin, have been implicated in the much-publicized Senate election fraud.

Though the Election Commission has dropped all charges against them, the scandal is seen as having contributed to the continuous decline in Anutin’s approval rating.

His government is also being heavily criticized for its handling of the severe floods in Bangkok and surrounding provinces.

The latest poll conducted by the National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA) found his approval rating had dropped to 13.76 percent, down from 21.7 percent in June.

Anutin didn’t say when a Cabinet reshuffle will take place, but a high-ranking source in the Bhumjaithai Party told Thai PBS World it is most unlikely to happen this year.

Anutin made it clear that if Kla Tham Party joins his coalition, it would be given Cabinet portfolios from the quota currently belonging to his Bhumjaithai Party. Cabinet portfolios being held by Pheu Thai Party, its current major coalition partner, will not be affected.

The Anutin government currently enjoys a comfortable majority in the House of Representatives with 293 MPs. Political observers note that if Kla Tham is brought into the coalition, its 58 MPs would give the Anutin government an absolute House majority.

Photo by Thepchai Yong