Bhumjaithai not brokering any deals before May 14: Anutin

Anutin, who is the caretaker public health minister, made this remark in an interview with Thai PBS, insisting Bhumjaithai had not made any deals with any political parties.

“There is no need to decide or create conditions,” he said. “When we are confident that we have won a lot of MP seats, we should set as few conditions as possible and talk [with other parties] after the election.”

He said Bhumjaithai was ready to work with all parties, regardless of whether they are government or opposition. The party is ready to support only PM candidates proposed by political parties, he said.

He also said that his party was ready to work with opposition leader Pheu Thai Party despite the long-standing conflict between Bhumjaithai’s top member Newin Chidchob and former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

“It happened a long time ago,” he said. “I think people who were stuck in resentment 20 years ago without forgiving or forgetting are some of the most unfortunate people in the world.”

Anutin added that he does not have a conflict with anyone.

In 2006, when Thaksin’s caretaker government was toppled by a military coup, Newin threw his support behind the People Power Party (PPP), which won by an overwhelming majority in 2008. This win put veteran politician Samak Sundaravej at the helm of the country but was forced to step down after the Constitutional Court ruled that his role as host of a TV cooking show constituted a conflict of interest.

Somchai Wongsawat, Thaksin’s brother-in-law, then took over but his tenure was cut short after PPP was dissolved by the charter court and all its executives banned from politics for five years.

After this upheaval, the Buri Ram politician decided to walk away from Thaksin into the arms of the Democrat Party.

There are reports that Thaksin called Newin, only to be told: “It’s over, boss!”