New Gov't Will Not Include Military-Linked PPRP-PTP Spox

Pheu Thai Party (PTP) spox Sorawong Thienthong has said that the right-wing military-backed Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) will not sit as part of PM Paetongtarn Shinawatra's new coalition gov't. The PPRP has sat as part of gov't since its foundation prior to the 2019 legislative elections, the first since the 2014 military coup d'etat.

• The PPRP has been riven byinternal disagreements between former Deputy PM/ Party Leader Prawit Wongsuwon and caretaker Agriculture Minister Thamanat Prompow. Thamanat says that he has the backing of 29 of PPRP's 40 representatives. The Thai Examiner claims that Prawit was set to exclude Thamanat from hit nominations for cabinet ministers.
• Prawit did not make an appearance at either of the votes in the House of Representatives approving Paetongtarn as PM. Local media reports suggest this, combined with accusations that the PPRP spurred the Constitutional Court's eventual decision to remove PM Srettha Thavisin from office, has led to the party's exclusion from the coalition.
• The PTP spox said that the prospect of group of representatives supportive of Thamanat and the opposition centrist Democratic Party joining the coalition 'will be discussed'.
• The loss of PRPP will not deny Paetongtarn's gov't a majority. However, it could delay the appointment of a cabinet. Bangkok Post also reports "Caretaker Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai said he expects the new cabinet to be formed by the end of this month so that the government can announce its policy statement before parliament by Sept 15."