Yongyuth exit sparks shake-up buzz

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said yesterday there would be no immediate cabinet reshuffle despite a Pheu Thai Party source saying that the majority of members are in favour of a major shake-up.

Published: 30/09/2012 at 12:00 AM
Writer: Post Reporters

Speculation concerning a cabinet reshuffle was rife following Yongyuth Wichadit's resignation from the posts of deputy prime minister and interior minister after the National Anti-Corruption Commission found him guilty last week of malfeasance in the Alpine land case while he was a deputy permanent secretary for the Interior Ministry in 2002.

The prime minister discussed the matter upon returning to Thailand from New York, where she attended the United Nations General Assembly last week.

"The government wants time to work for the people, so there will be no cabinet reshuffle for the moment," she told reporters at Suvarnabhumi airport.

She said that the deputy interior minister can handle the ministry's work for the time being.

Ms Yingluck praised Mr Yongyuth for his decision to resign.

She said he had made a sacrifice to prevent any possible negative repercussions on the government.

She said it was a pity that the government has lost such a capable minister.

Mr Yongyuth greeted her at the airport and also attended the news conference.

A party source said Pheu Thai is concerned that it may not be the right time to make changes to the cabinet lineup, as any change would require royal endorsement and His Majesty the King is currently recuperating from a bacterial infection.

The source said most Pheu Thai members would prefer a major reshuffle to a small one, possibly after a planned no-confidence debate by the opposition.

The cabinet reshuffle, when and if it takes place, would be in line with plans former ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra has to see one of the members of the so-called House No111 club in the Interior Ministry job, the source said, referring to the 111 former Thai Rak Thai politicians who completed their five-year political bans earlier this year.

Several politicians have been put forward as possible contenders for the vacated posts, including Pongthep Thepkanchana, Pokin Polakul, Chaturon Chaisaeng and Phumtham Wechayachai.

Former deputy interior minister Sermsak Pongpanit has also emerged as a candidate for the interior post.

The source said a number of cabinet ministers could face the axe if the shake-up goes ahead, including Deputy Interior Minister Chuchart Hansawat and Education Minister Suchart Thada-Thamrongvech.

PM's Office Minister Woravat Au-apinyakul may have to go to pave the way for Warathep Rattanakorn.

There has also been speculation about ministers switching portfolios.

Deputy Transport Minister Pol Lt Gen Chatt Kuldiloke is reportedly seeking a deputy post at the Interior Ministry and Deputy Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Nattawut Saikuar may be shifted elsewhere.

Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Kittiratt Na-Ranong's portfolio is likely to remain intact with the support of Ms Yingluck, although Pansak Vinyaratn, the prime minister's economic adviser, is unhappy with him.

Democrat party list-MP Ong-art Klampaibul said Mr Yongyuth did not resign of his own accord. The government was "cutting out an organ to prolong its life", he said.

Mr Yongyuth quit under duress in compliance with the wish of an influential person outside the country and the red shirts, Mr Ong-art claimed.

The resignation was also a measure to avert scrutiny of Mr Yongyuth's ministerial status by the opposition, he said.

Mr Yongyuth remains an MP, but that status is now also up in the air since a person dismissed from a state agency is deemed unfit under the constitution to be a member of parliament.

Mr Ong-art said the opposition Democrat Party would tomorrow ask the Constitution Court through the parliament president to rule on Mr Yongyuth's MP status.

Wicharn Meenchainant, a Pheu Thai MP for Bangkok, said the Democrats should stop "picking on" Mr Yongyuth.

Mr Wicharn said the Pheu Thai MPs for Bangkok will not pressure Ms Yingluck to reshuffle the cabinet.

They respect her decision regarding any changes to the ministerial line-up if she desires to make adjustments, he said.

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Discussion 1 : 01/10/2012 at 10:43 AM: Let the government mature and reform, people...enough already. Something that happened 10 years ago doesn't create the necessity for a cabinet reshuffle today. When is the infighting going to stop?
Discussion 2 : 01/10/2012 at 07:09 AM: "...would be in line with plans former ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra has..." Another bullet loaded into the Dems gun. One day, if there are no other means to stop PT, the Dems will ask for PT's dissolution and no court can deny Thaksin's involvement.
Discussion 3 : 30/09/2012 at 09:05 PM: Yongyuth is a cheap thief and should be made to pay back all the money and properties he has stolen plus go to prison. If he did this in England 200 yrs ago he would be shackled and shipped off to Australia.
Discussion 4 : 30/09/2012 at 08:51 PM: Bluebottle Discussion 19: Makes a good point. How is it possible for a convicts fugitive on the run to be allowed to run this country from another country without the vote of the public or approval of the king?
Discussion 5 : 30/09/2012 at 08:12 PM: "Ms Yingluck praised Mr Yongyuth for his decision to resign. She said he had made a sacrifice to prevent any possible negative repercussions on the government. She said it was a pity that the government has lost such a capable minister." In this season of high rainfall and other flooding sources, please!!!! Don't add to the water volumes with copious amounts of crocodile tears!!!!!!!! But perhaps if a certain absentee, de-facto leader were to follow this example and sacrifice personal ambition for the good of the country and go quietly into the night, perhaps the prospects for reconciliation would improve dramatically.
Discussion 6 : 30/09/2012 at 07:24 PM: I like the way Yingluck sits next to and protects an individual ruled as corrupt, and her family had so much to do in this Alpine deal. She's the epitome of whats wrong with Thailand. A pretty face with pretty words and an ugly background and secrets as deep as Narnia's closet is the epitome of the sad state of affairs in Thailand. Dignity for the Thai politician is a kin to a big drink and eat binge at someone else's cost. Real wedding crashers!
Discussion 7 : 30/09/2012 at 07:08 PM: Khun Android #24 is absolutely correct about Democracy. Maw's Power under various reincarnations, including the current PTP-led Govt, has yet to lose a single majority votes in parliament. Prachatipad, on the contrary, has yet to win any single majority parliamentary votes ever. So, my question to you all is why a majority of Thai voters, particularly those in E-Saan and the North, continues to believe that Maw's Power is the best choice for them, instead of Prachatipad or anybody else? If you want Democracy, you should be happy, because, this is IT!
Discussion 8 : 30/09/2012 at 06:24 PM: Corruption comes back to bite you on the ass. Thailand should have more of it. It will benefit the people.
Discussion 9 : 30/09/2012 at 06:01 PM: Disc 24: Android - "No matter how hard the dems are trying to discredit the PT core members" Is the fact that Yongyuth has gone because he is a criminal beyond your capability of comprehension ?. Remember defence minister Sukumpol trying to dig up 20 year old enlistment forms in an attempt to slur Abhisit while the Sotuh burned ?. I often wondered how PT manage to hoodwink so many - but if the posters on here are typical red-shirts, it is all clear to me now.
Discussion 10 : 30/09/2012 at 04:49 PM: Discussion 23 englishbob : the point is that PT government is in power after the 2011 election. No matter how hard the dems are trying to discredit the PT core members, they are still the running legitimate government elected by the people.
Discussion 11 : 30/09/2012 at 03:51 PM: Disc17 Android... "my point for your consideration is that another PT member will fill up the minister vacany, and this is another envy for the dems." So it's not a point at all, is it? It's another post where you somehow magically know what Thai politicians are thinking or feeling or saying behind closed doors. It's called 'supposition'.
Discussion 12 : 30/09/2012 at 02:41 PM: While the Govt is shaken up, the Deep South is shaken to pieces! Where is the Govt's sense of urgency, and accountability?
Discussion 13 : 30/09/2012 at 02:40 PM: I thought when you broke the law you were supposed to be punished .Not just quit .
Discussion 14 : 30/09/2012 at 01:34 PM: "National Anti-Corruption Commission found him guilty last week of malfeasance"......."She said it was a pity that the government has lost such a capable minister"...... Capable for being caught ??
Discussion 15 : 30/09/2012 at 12:11 PM: Now we openly admit the "T" is in charge what the hell is going on here?What a disgrace allowing a convicted criminal not even voted for by the electorate and I am sure not approved by His Majesty run the country.Come on wake up people the government is making a mockery of the whole democratic system. What dose it take to stop this farce?
Discussion 16 : 30/09/2012 at 11:52 AM: Disc13: hillfarang. No. I don’t get it. The heading of the comments section asks ‘what do YOU think’. Your opinion is mostly devoid of any factual support, as seconded by Disc. 11. The fact that you cherry pick an article garnered from some website as you do here, should make you realise it is not your own opinion, but that of someone else. It might well have been about CORRUPTION but that is not the point.
Discussion 17 : 30/09/2012 at 11:52 AM: Discussion 16 englishbob : my point for your consideration is that another PT member will fill up the minister vacany, and this is another envy for the dems.
Discussion 18 : 30/09/2012 at 11:38 AM: Disc13 Hillfarang - If I might just add my two cents... What's your point? Is Yongyuth innocent? IS he a fit person to be an MP? Should he remain in the cabinet? Were his actions in the Alpine case commendable? Your point (such as it is) seems to be to try to divert attention away from this government. You are falling into the same trap as DomDunn and Android and Abbub - every time a negative story is written about Peua Thai, you leap to the archives and cite a different case. Not really a convincing defence, is it? "Yes, your honour, my client IS guilty of malfeasance, but I read about a different guy who did it before... so... Can we forget about this case, please?"
Discussion 19 : 30/09/2012 at 11:30 AM: englishjon d.12, being treated like a hero and a courageous man with integrity offsets the reality, just another self-serving polly. This is the downpayment. The cream comes in the cakebox.
Discussion 20 : 30/09/2012 at 10:58 AM: "Yongyuth has resigned in disgrace because of his criminal record, yet PT are treating him like a hero." A criminal record is required to be a PT hero.
Discussion 21 : 30/09/2012 at 10:57 AM: Yo Pete, D@7 LOOK: "...after the National Anti-Corruption Commission found him guilty last week of malfeasance in the Alpine land case while he was a deputy permanent secretary for the Interior Ministry in 2002." Anti-corruption. My comment was on CORRUPTION. Get it?
Discussion 22 : 30/09/2012 at 10:34 AM: This is the usual arse-about-face situation of Thai politics. Yongyuth has resigned in disgrace because of his criminal record, yet PT are treating him like a hero. It is funny to see the jostling start as PT MP's sense there might be room to get their nose deeper in the trough.
Discussion 23 : 30/09/2012 at 09:48 AM: hillfarang, You obviously didn't read the fine print of the corruption index: "The CPI is not designed to allow for country scores to be compared over time. Since the set of sources changes, comparing corruption over time with the CPI is inappropriate." It's an index of people's perception that's collected through surveys, not a measure of actual corruption. Anyone who believes corruption was less under Thaksin is beyond help.
Discussion 24 : 30/09/2012 at 09:40 AM: Gotta feel sorry for K. Wincharn: Wicharn Meenchainant, a Pheu Thai MP for Bangkok, said the Democrats should stop "picking on" Mr Yongyuth. Poor K. Yongyuth was just doing what any privileged poly/bureaucrat would do; take advantage of his position and get into a bit of a shady land deal to benefit himself and his well-heeled mates. And after all, he did the "courageous" thing and fell on his sword to protect the party and the boss. No doubt he will be well compensated for that little necessity. How dare those bullying Opposition types meddle in these affairs.
Discussion 25 : 30/09/2012 at 09:34 AM: Why do I get the feeling that Khun Yongyuth will continue to 'oversee' the Interior Ministry - PT are the experts in behind the curtain leadership. Mind you the two Deputy Interior Ministers - Chuchart Hansawat and Thanit Thienthong - will not be short of advice since Khun Thanit can always turn to his uncle Sanoh Thienthong (of Alpine golf scandal fame) for help.
Discussion 26 : 30/09/2012 at 09:32 AM: It wouldnt make any difference if there was a reshuffle because decisions wouldnt be made by any of these sheep anyway .Only the fugitive gets to make decisions regarding the country or should I say regarding paving his return .
Discussion 27 : 30/09/2012 at 09:17 AM: Disc5: hillfarang: Have you posted this under the correct article? It has no relevance to the subject matter whatever.
Discussion 28 : 30/09/2012 at 09:15 AM: Who was Prime Minister when Yonguth was involved in this fraud? Also who were the beneficiaries of the land swaps in and around that period of time?
Discussion 29 : 30/09/2012 at 08:09 AM: Corruption has been endemic to Thailand in my three decades of experience. This government, the Dem's (military's bloated budget) & the military governments in between all suffered from it. Here's an irony, the International monitors found the lowest corruption index during Thaksin (2005 = lowest), just before the coup. After the coup, it increased! The index is a bit better now than under the Dem's but still much too high. Thailand ranks about 80 out of 182 countries surveyed, with #1 being the least corrupt. "Best" is New Zealand. The worst (in order) are Somalia, North Korea, & our neighbor, Myanmar.
Discussion 30 : 30/09/2012 at 07:21 AM: As usual, it is what is right for the PTP and the government rather than what is right for the country. Move over old guard, new snouts can smell the trough.
Discussion 31 : 30/09/2012 at 07:04 AM: Who is the party source. Seems everyone has a name but the party source which happens to be the one with the big news.
Discussion 32 : 30/09/2012 at 06:34 AM: Of course PTP MPs want a reshuffle. There is now a big opportunity, with Yongyuths resignation to get in at the feeding trough at the highest level. This is one opportunity no MP wants to miss.
Discussion 33 : 30/09/2012 at 03:59 AM: Thaskin has Yongyuth fall on his sword to sweep land fraud under the carpet. The words "land fraud" are a sore subject with Thaskin. Now big brother and sister won't replace him until they find someone not involved in fraud and corruption. Good luck with that.

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