"Julaphan” insists that the reports of “Suriya - Somsak being” removed from their ministerial positions are untrue

Today (27 Feb) at 10:00 am at the Parliament, the Pheu Thai Party, led by prime minister candidate Yotsanan Wongsawat, party leader Julaphan Amornvivat, party secretary-general Prasert Chantharawongthong, and party leader Suriya Jungrungruangkit, along with approximately 30 constituency MPs from the party, including those who registered yesterday (February 26, 2026), traveled by bus from the party headquarters to the Parliament building to register as members of the 27th House of Representatives.

Mr. Yotsanan and the MPs were led into Parliament to pay respects to Phra Siam Thewathirat, Phra Suea Mueang, Phra Song Mueang, and the shrine of the ancestors, which are sacred sites within the Parliament building, before being escorted inside to register their attendance.

Mr. Yotsanan expressed his feelings about leading the MPs to register today, stating that he was proud to be of service to the nation and the people. He added that this was a positive development, a long-standing tradition of the Pheu Thai Party, demonstrating unity and readiness to work for the people.

When asked about the distribution of ministerial positions within the Pheu Thai Party in cooperation with the Bhumjaithai Party, Mr. Yotsanan said that there had been no further discussions since their initial meeting. He emphasized the need to consider internal matters and be prepared to fulfill their duties.

Regarding the news reports about a list of Pheu Thai candidates being rejected by the Bhumjaithai Party yesterday (February 26th), Mr. Yotsanan clarified that this was untrue. He explained that their discussions were internal, focusing on being prepared to work in all aspects of the country, as they are currently considering and planning many projects.

Regarding the reported allocation of ministries to the Pheu Thai Party, Mr. Julaphan stated that they had not discussed cabinet allocations or initial discussions with the Bhumjaithai Party. After being invited, they discussed future collaboration but did not delve into each party's strengths or allocation strategies. He emphasized that this is not their primary focus right now, given their status as not the leading party. They must wait for the leading party to establish a government and gather sufficient votes.

Mr. Julaphan further added that he had also heard news reports indicating the number of MPs is nearing 300, a figure confirming the likelihood of government formation. He stated that it will now be the responsibility of the leading party to schedule meetings to discuss personnel suitability, each party's strengths, and policies for forming a coalition government.

Regarding the question of whether the power to allocate personnel rests with the Pheu Thai Party and whether the Bhumjaithai Party should not interfere, Mr. Julaphan explained that the power to appoint cabinet ministers, according to the law, rests with the Prime Minister. He noted that after the certification of the party-list MPs, the first session of the House of Representatives will likely convene at the end of the month to elect the Speaker of Parliament. The royal appointment of the Speaker should then take place approximately one week later. Regarding the Speaker of Parliament, there will be a vote to elect the Prime Minister. After that, things will become clearer because once the prime minister has the authority to form the cabinet, he will submit the list of nominees for review and then submit it for royal appointment. Therefore, it's not a matter of whether the Pheu Thai Party has the power or not, but it certainly depends on the prime minister. Of course, as a coalition government, joint discussions are crucial. Based on my experience working with Mr. Anutin Charnvirakul, the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, I believe these kinds of discussions will occur to ensure smooth proceedings and mutual understanding. Regarding the news about the submitted list and reports of it being rejected, I spoke with someone yesterday (February 26, 2026), and they confirmed that this hasn't happened because the Pheu Thai Party hasn't submitted any lists. We haven't discussed this yet.

Furthermore, even if no lists have been submitted yet, what if they are rejected? Mr. Julaphan stated that this is something that needs to be discussed. He hasn't seen the scenario unfold, and speculating about whether it will happen is unproductive. Since nothing has happened yet, waiting for discussions to take place will resolve the matter.

Regarding whether the circulating rumors are an undercurrent within the Pheu Thai Party itself, Mr. Julaphan stated that there is no such thing. The Pheu Thai Party is united, and today's gathering clearly shows this. We have all the constituency MPs here, and next week we will meet with the party-list MPs. Today's demonstration shows the Pheu Thai Party's readiness and unity and its preparedness to move forward and work as a legislator. Today, after the registration, Mr. Yoschanan will lead a party meeting to discuss legislation. We are ready to submit approximately 20 bills to the House of Representatives as soon as it convenes. We will review the details today and prepare representatives to submit these bills to the House as soon as it opens, demonstrating our readiness to work as a legislator.

When asked further whether the Pheu Thai Party had spoken with the Bhumjaithai Party, and who the conversations were with, or specifically with Mr. Anutin Mr. Julaphan stated that he had spoken with the Bhumjaithai Party's leaders about why such news had emerged. The Bhumjaithai Party confirmed that there was no such news, as there couldn't be, since the Pheu Thai Party had not yet submitted its nominees and there had been no discussions regarding ministerial positions. Regarding the news that the names of Mr. Suriya Jungrungruangkit and Mr. Prasert Chantharawongthong were rejected and they would not be appointed ministers, Mr. Julaphan said that he didn't think that deeply about it. He considered it a normal political process, as this period requires waiting for various processes such as certification from the Election Commission of Thailand (ECT), MPs reporting to parliament, and the opening of parliamentary sessions. It's a period of vacuum where all parties must wait for the various processes of government formation to be completed. The emergence of such news might not be a deliberate leak but rather a misunderstanding and interpretation by some segments of the public and the media, who heard the news and presented it to create speculation, even though it won't cause any harm or negative consequences. The party has affirmed the qualifications of all its MP and prime minister candidate.

Mr. Julaphan reiterated that, as party leader, he has not yet submitted a list of names and that the individuals rumored to have been rejected as ministers are highly qualified personnel from the party, proven by their past work in both the administrative and legislative branches. Their records are impeccable, and therefore, fairness must be given to these individuals. He stated that the rumors are unfounded.

As for whether the names of individuals from the party in the news are potential ministers, Mr. Julaphan said that the party has many qualified individuals ready to serve as ministers. Many of the elected MPs have served multiple terms and possess significant potential. This is a matter for the party's executive committee to discuss further, and the process has not yet begun. Regarding the Pheu Thai party's desire for younger leaders to manage the government, Mr. Yoschanan stated that discussions are underway regarding their first day in office, the country's problems, and global trends. He emphasized that the party has personnel capable of working effectively with the government. He stressed that working within a single ministry is no longer sufficient; individuals capable of collaborating with all ministries are needed to move the country forward. When asked if the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research, and Innovation would be under their direct control, Mr. Yoschanan replied that he could not provide any further information at this time. "Please wait a little longer. I will inform you when things are clearer. Right now, we have already prepared assignments for every ministry.

Regarding ministries currently facing difficult issues, such as the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives and the Ministry of Labor, the Bhumjaithai Party will allocate them to the Pheu Thai Party for oversight," Mr. Yotsanan stated. " There are no difficult issues here. These are matters of the nation, not about 'Grade A,' 'Grade B,' or 'Grade C' ministries. Today, no one would dare call any ministry 'Grade A' because all ministries are important, and we can move forward. As for whether the party's policies will be discussed and implemented within the ministries, Mr. Yotsanan said, "The policies of the Pheu Thai Party and the policies of other parties must have connections. Once things are clear, we will discuss it.

"When asked further about the impact of Ms. Paetongtarn Shinawatra, former leader of the Pheu Thai Party, visiting Mr. Thaksin Shinawatra in prison and telling reporters that Mr. Thaksin is retiring from politics, on the party's work, Mr. Yotsanan replied, "This is a personal matter. The Pheu Thai Party will continue to operate as a political party."

Photo : Weeraphat Ratsameerueangrong