Bangkok: Senator Premsak has expressed concerns about the appointment of a potential Justice Minister from Buriram, who has connections to the Khao Kradong case. He fears this collusion case may not be addressed adequately and has urged “Chief Teng” to investigate further. Senator Premsak described the nominee’s career progression metaphorically, stating that he began as a sharpened bamboo pole but later turned into a bong.
According to Thai News Agency, Senator Dr. Premsak Piayura commented on the cabinet’s final form, noting that Anutin Charnvirakul, who included outsiders, is among the cabinet members. Dr. Premsak congratulated Anutin Charnvirakul on becoming Prime Minister amid the current crisis, drawing a comparison to former Prime Minister Anand Panyarachun’s rise to office in 1992. He noted that Anutin accepted the Prachachon Party’s condition of four months for preparing constitutional amendments to reflect the Thai people’s will. However, Dr. Premsak expressed skepticism over the cabinet’s formation, which does not appear to be a temporary government preparing for elections or constitutional amendments. He described the government’s approach as a “twin-action” strategy: the first part involves inviting outsiders for economic issues to instill hope, which he supports as a matter of principle.
Dr. Premsak elaborated on the second part of the twin actions, emphasizing the importance of image-building and mobilizing people to solve economic problems. However, he expressed concern over the appointment of a supposed outsider, who is actually an insider, as the Minister of Justice. Rumors suggest that the nominee is a Police Lieutenant General, formerly Deputy Commander of Provincial Police Region 3, which covers the southern part of Isan. Born in Buriram, he served in both Buriram and Surin before retiring early as a Police Lieutenant General. Dr. Premsak questioned the nominee’s ability to be a fair Justice Minister, especially concerning the senator collusion case that directly implicates him and has raised public concerns.
“I would like to ask the Prime Minister whether there are no suitable personnel nationwide to be the Minister of Justice, and why the former Deputy Commander of Provincial Police Region 3 had to be appointed as Minister of Justice,” Dr. Premsak inquired, noting the lack of changes or adjustments in the Ministry of Justice compared to other ministries that have seen multiple revisions.
Dr. Premsak also addressed Mr. Natthaphong Ruangpanyawut, a party-list MP and leader of the Prachachon Party, questioning his awareness of the appointment of the police lieutenant general as Minister of Justice. He expressed concern about the fairness of the Khao Kradong case and the Senate collusion case, urging the leader of the Prachachon Party to avoid allowing the situation to escalate into a crisis.
Dr. Premsak added that the Prime Minister will also serve as Minister of the Interior, raising questions about potential reshuffles and appointments within the Ministry. He emphasized the need for guarantees in the country’s administration and urged preparations for a general election. He warned against extending the government’s tenure beyond the agreed period, suggesting that creating an image with outsiders might momentarily instill hope but could exceed public expectations.
“I’d like to ask Chief Teng to help us look into this by quietly mobilizing people. We might end up forming a majority government at any moment. It could be a fire on the back burner,” said Dr. Premsak, warning of potential regrets over political tactics and errors in the prime ministerial election.