Paetongtarn giggles with Anutin to dismiss rumours of rifts between two major partners

Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra giggled with Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul before holding a weekly press conference together to dispel rumours that the two leading coalition partners were in serious conflict.

Paetongtarn also teased Anutin for holding the hand of the female leader of another coalition partner, Agriculture Minister Narumon Pinyosinwat, leader of the Kla Tham Party.

After the weekly Cabinet meeting, Paetongtarn waved to Anutin and told him to walk to stand beside her at the podium for the press conference at Government House.

“I would like to invite Than Anutin here, or else we’ll be seen as having a rift,” Paetongtarn said.

At that moment, Narumon turned to speak to Anutin, saying, “No rift,” and held out her hand to him. He grabbed it and walked towards the podium to join the waiting Paetongtarn.

Seeing the two ministers of opposite sexes holding hands, Paetongtarn teased them by asking, “Are you two also in a rift?”

Anutin smiled and replied, “Broken, not rifted,” and both the Prime Minister and Anutin laughed together. At that moment, Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Phumtham Wechayachai joined in the laughter, saying, “This man cannot be trusted.”

Reporters then asked Paetongtarn why she waved Anutin to join the press conference to show there were no rifts between the two major coalition partners – the leading Pheu Thai and Bhumjaithai. Paetongtarn replied, “That’s it. So many rumours, so I invited Anutin to walk with me to the podium, or else we would be rumoured to have a rift again.”

The two coalition partners have been reported to be in conflict on several issues, ranging from charter amendments to the latest issue related to the senatorial election. It has been reported that the Department of Special Investigation, under the control of Pheu Thai’s Justice Minister, agreed to investigate allegations of collusion in peer voting for the senatorial election, which could destabilise the upper chamber dominated by senators believed to be close to Bhumjaithai.

These reported conflicts led to speculation that Pheu Thai powerhouse Thaksin Shinawatra would meet Bhumjaithai’s Newin Chidchob at a Bangkok hotel on Monday evening to resolve differences, but the meeting did not take place.

Paetongtarn said she did not want to see such rumours about rifts between the two parties and often joked with Anutin when they were not in formal meetings.

Paetongtarn also said that Thaksin did not make any arrangements to meet Newin at the hotel, as had been rumoured.

When reporters asked Paetongtarn why there were so many reports of rifts between the two major partners if there were no conflicts, Paetongtarn quipped that the reporters themselves must explain where the rumours started or where they got the information.

Anyway, Paetongtarn said reporters had given her the idea to hold another meeting with the coalition partners’ leaders. She added that she would hold a formal meeting with Anutin and other coalition leaders on Tuesday evening.

At one point, Paetongtarn turned to ask Anutin whether he had any conflicts with her, and Anutin replied, “I dare not,” and both laughed.

Paetongtarn said the Pheu Thai and other partners could have disagreements, but these should not be viewed as rifts or conflicts, as they could still talk to one another to resolve differences.

“We just see things differently, but we don’t undermine one another,” Paetongtarn said.

She insisted that Pheu Thai and Bhumjaithai would work together until the end of the government’s term.