A bloc of 10 small parties affirmed its support for Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha to form a coalition government on Monday, after the executives of two of the parties earlier threatened to jump ship to support the Pheu Thai Party instead.
Mongkolkit Suksintharanont, the leader and an MP of the Thai Civilised Party, confirmed his intention to keep his party in the Palang Pracharath Party-(PPRP) led coalition, after having insisted earlier in the morning that his party would leave the bloc.
Mr Mongkolkit announced the decision at a press conference held at 4pm yesterday, and said that his earlier threat was "just a personal opinion".
He said that he made the threat to support the opposing Pheu Thai-led camp -- which he announced at an earlier press conference at 11am -- because his bloc was not given any cabinet positions.
Despite claiming to represent the entire bloc, only representatives of the Prachathamthai and the Thai Civilised parties showed up at the discussion and press conference held at 11am. Another MP that attended the meeting was Pichet Sathirachawal, Prachathamthai Party leader and MP.
Mr Pichet, a former Pheu Thai Party member, shared Mr Mongkolkit's stance, saying that if the 10 parties are not given enough cabinet posts, his party, too, will switch sides to be with the opposition.
However, Mr Pichet later softened his stance and chose to not say a word in the press conference held at 4pm, which was attended by executives from all 10 small parties.
An informed source said the other eight parties didn't attend the earlier press conference because "Mr Mongkolkit wanted to give a media interview to pressure Palang Pracharath into giving the bloc cabinet posts".
