Coalition member Pirapan warns of withdrawing support due to appointment of Suchart as Interior Minister
Thailand's Coalition Under Threat as United Thai Nation Party Consider Withdrawal
The ruling coalition in Thailand faces potential instability as the United Thai Nation Party, led by Pirapan Salirathavibhaga, has threatened to withdraw from the government due to the appointment of Suchart Chomklin as Deputy Interior Minister.
Suchart Chomklin, who was previously Minister of Labour and is currently Deputy Minister of Commerce, has been embroiled in a scandal involving the Social Security Office headquarters procurement [1][4]. This scandal may have fuelled political friction around his appointment.
Pirapan's faction opposes Suchart's appointment due to the associated corruption scandal and factional rivalry [1][4]. The United Thai Nation Party has stated that if the prime minister insists on appointing Suchart as Deputy Interior Minister, they will withdraw from the coalition [2][5].
The Cabinet reshuffle, which was triggered by coalition withdrawals and the suspension of Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra by the Constitutional Court in early July 2025, has rocked Thai politics since June 2025 [3]. This reshuffle may force the prime minister and Pheu Thai leadership to revise the Cabinet line-up to avoid risks.
Coalition parties have submitted their proposed ministerial candidates and agreed upon quota allocations. However, the Interior Ministry is expected to have only two deputy ministers in the new Cabinet reshuffle: Dechit Khaothong of the Democrat Party and Theerarat Samrejvanich of Pheu Thai [6].
Pirapan Salirathavibhaga claims that the position of Deputy Commerce Minister originally belonged to the United Thai Nation Party. He strongly opposes the reassignment of party deputy leader Suchart Chomklin to the Interior Ministry, arguing that if Pheu Thai, as the coalition leader, ultimately yields to Pirapan's demands by reassigning Suchart to his previous post as Deputy Commerce Minister, it would be seen as taking sides [7].
The group of 18 MPs, who pledged to remain with the government, did not support Pirapan's move to urge Paetongtarn to resign [8]. This internal dispute highlights the fragile nature of coalition politics in Thailand's current volatile environment.
No specific confirmation of Pirapan formally withdrawing yet exists, but the threat indicates potential further reshuffling or political realignments in the near term [3]. The outcome of this situation will have significant implications for the stability of the ruling government in Thailand.
References:
[1] Thai Rath [2] Bangkok Post [3] Reuters [4] Nation Thailand [5] Khaosod English [6] The Nation [7] The Bangkok Post [8] The Bangkok Post
- The controversy surrounding Suchart Chomklin's appointment as Deputy Interior Minister has sparked a potential crisis for Thailand's ruling coalition, with the United Thai Nation Party expressing intentions to withdraw due to a perceived association with corruption and factional disputes.
- The reshuffle in Thailand's Cabinet, instigated by coalition withdrawals and the suspension of Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, has ignited a wave of policy-and-legislation changes, economic repercussions, and general-news discussions that have rocked the nation since June 2025.
- The sensitive disagreement over appointments, as exemplified by the United Thai Nation Party's claims for the Deputy Commerce Minister position, underscores the delicate balance and intense rivalry within the realm of Thailand's politics and business sector.
- Beyond its immediate impact on the Interior Ministry, the crisis surrounding Suchart Chomklin's appointment promises to influence the broader cultural and political narrative within the Thai ecosystem, exacerbating the tension between unity and divisiveness in war-and-conflicts and further testing the resilience of the nation's policy-and-legislation mechanisms.
