Bangkok: "Suchart" declined to answer whether he would retain his current position, saying that the process of selecting the Prime Minister and Speaker of the House must be completed before forming the cabinet. He pointed out that this is solely within the Prime Minister's authority and expressed hope that the new cabinet would be able to more easily assist the public in coping with the effects of the Middle East conflict.
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Suchart Chomklin, MP for Chonburi from the Bhumjaithai Party, addressed the question of whether he had been approached to retain his previous ministerial position. He stated that, as Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Anutin Charnvirakul, and leader of the Bhumjaithai Party, had previously mentioned, the process of certifying MPs must be completed first. Following that, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Deputy Speakers, and the Prime Minister must be elected. The subsequent steps will be decided by the party's senior leaders. As a representative of the Bhumjaithai Party, he must await the policy directives from the party leadership.
When asked if he would like to see former ministers remain in their previous ministries, Mr. Suchart said that all MPs, as representatives of the people, are ready for any position assigned to them if given the opportunity by the party leadership. He emphasized that it depends on the senior figures and party leadership to place their trust in them, but the Prime Minister must be chosen first before the process of forming the Cabinet can begin, as this is solely within the Prime Minister's prerogative.
When asked whether there was a timeline for when a government could be formed, Mr. Suchart said that everything was just speculation. He said that MPs had already registered today, and if 95% of the seats are filled, the parliament can be convened. This is the legislative branch's responsibility to submit a request to convene parliament; the Secretariat of the House of Representatives will handle this. Everything is proceeding according to the established timeline.
When asked whether he was more interested in his current type of work or a new one, Mr. Suchart said that his short-term work in the past, while not yet a full member of the Bhumjaithai Party, was enjoyable and went well with Mr. Anutin. He was happy with the opportunities and freedom he received in his work within the executive branch. However, whether or not he will continue in the executive branch depends on the selection of the Prime Minister, who will then have the authority to form the cabinet. He added that today's discussions are merely speculation from the media.
Mr. Suchart further stated that people should not be fixated on positions, but rather consider the power to appoint the cabinet and the appropriateness given the unusual global situation. Currently, as a caretaker government, the use of central government funds and certain operations may be difficult or inconvenient. However, a government elected through a previous election would have been able to utilize emergency funds, particularly in cases of conflict in the Middle East. He urged the public to be aware of the potential impacts of war. He noted that the caretaker government can only function to a certain extent and may not be able to fully address and assist the public, especially regarding exports and energy. Although the Prime Minister has prepared for all possible situations, he fears the caretaker government may not be able to do so effectively.