File photo : Thaksin
Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra phoned in during Tuesday's meeting of MPs from the ruling Pheu Thai Party to offer his advice and make his viewpoints on issues ranging from peace talks in the deep South and constitutional amendment to the Bt2.2trillion loans for infrastructure megaprojects.
Thaksin rejected speculation that his sister Yaowapa Wongsawat, who is to contest the Chiang Mai byelection next month, would become a "substitute" prime minister.
He said Yaowapa, now a nonMP who is a powerful figure in the ruling party, would work more closely with the party MPs in Parliament.
Yaowapa completed a fiveyear political ban at the end of May.
Thaksin, speaking with the MPs through the Skype Internetbased software application for about 40 minutes, said that he wanted the constitutional amendment to be made by article, as required as the current Constitution. He said by writing an entirely new constitution, the government would risk legal problems that could lead to its downfall.
"If you don't amend by article, you will never be able to change the Constitution," he was quoted as saying by a source familiar with the MPs' meeting.
Thaksin said that the Bt2.2trillion loans were necessary to improve the country's infrastructure systems and help boost the country's gross domestic product (GDP).
The exPM also told the Pheu Thai MPs to explain to the public about the government's need to issue an executive decree for borrowing Bt2.2 trillion to fund the megaprojects. He said the critics, particularly politicians from the opposition Democrat Party, only focused on the negative side of the loan plan.
Regarding the insurgency problem in the deep South, Thaksin said peace talks between the Thai authorities and the insurgents were necessary to restore peace in the restive region.
"Talks will lead to peace. We need a continuous process of dialogue to help reduce casualties in the South," he told the MPs.
Thaksin also said he "understood" that Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, his younger sister, would not reshuffle the Cabinet seats that involve Pheu Thai and that mainly a replacement for the deceased Tourism and Sports Minister Chumpol Silapaarcha from the Chart Thai Pattana Party would be appointed.
He told the MPs not to be frightened by the political moves against the Pheu Thailed government.
"Let them do the campaign. You just continue doing your work and mingle with the people. We are still government in a democracy," Thaksin said.
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Article source: http://www.thethailandlinks.com/2013/03/19/thaksin-denies-yaowapa-becoming-substitute-pm/
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