Pheu Thai MPs also upset over changes

Criticism by outgoing and outspoken Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung has prompted Pheu Thai MPs to also complain about the Cabinet reshuffle.

Pheu Thai party-list MP Cherdchai Tantisiron said too many outsiders were being appointed in the latest reshuffle and this meant veteran MPs like Mingkwan Saengsuwan, who was knowledgeable of trade issues, had been passed over. Cherdchai said some of the new ministers were bureaucrats who would be unable to "think outside the box". What's more, he said, it was also unclear if they were really capable of running their respective ministries. Cherdchai said his views were also shared by a number of ruling party MPs, particularly MPs for the Northeast, who felt disheartened.

Another Pheu Thai MP, Anand Sriphan of Udon Thani, said many northeastern MPs did not understand why Chalerm was transferred to oversee the Ministry of Labour and thought this was inappropriate. Chalerm, he said, always defended PM Yingluck in parliament and now he was no longer a deputy PM, he would not have the right to answer on the prime minister's behalf. Many northeastern MPs also felt disgruntled that some of the new faces - who never took part in an election campaign - were going to be appointed as ministers.

"Eighty per cent of the outsiders appointed as ministers won't understand the needs of the people, because they were not elected by the people," he said, adding that Isaan MPs were not consulted, but only asked to find ways to solve the rice pledging scheme.

Chalerm, who was in charge of national security issues, voiced anger on Friday at an event at Royal Thai Police headquarters, criticising Southern Border Provinces Administration Centre chief Tawee Sodsong for his alleged refusal to report to him on problems in the restive South.

Chalerm said he did not want to be transferred to the Ministry of Labour and added that the government faced a political crisis that threatened the future of Pheu Thai. The government, he said, remained in the "hot seat" over the rice-pledging scheme and would continue to face protests from those who wanted to bring it down.

But Tawee said he had never had any ill thoughts about Chalerm. He said it was the Internal Security Operations Command - not his agency - that was the core body in charge.

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Article source: http://www.thethailandlinks.com/2013/06/30/pheu-thai-mps-also-upset-over-changes/