September 10, 2025
BANGKOK – Pheu Thai MPs held their weekly meeting on Tuesday, presided over by Paetongtarn Shinawatra, the party leader and former Prime Minister.
The meeting saw representatives from various regions, including Cholnan Srikaew, MP for Nan, and Prayuth Siripanich, list MP, offering support to Paetongtarn after Thaksin Shinawatra, her father, was sentenced to prison by the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions.
Paetongtarn expressed her gratitude for the MPs’ support and shared that Thaksin was in good spirits before entering prison. She also mentioned that Thaksin had accepted the verdict from the judicial process, aiming to clear any doubts and allow the party to move forward.
Furthermore, Paetongtarn confirmed that Thaksin encouraged her to return to lead Pheu Thai, strengthening the party’s position for the future.
Danuporn Punnakan, list MP and party spokesperson, explained that earlier in the afternoon, the party’s executive board held a meeting, where Paetongtarn received encouragement from party leaders as she faced the challenging news.
He added that the meeting also focused on preparations for the upcoming elections, ensuring that the party would be ready for action.
Danuporn continued by discussing the ongoing efforts to finalise candidate selections. He confirmed that by mid-October, Pheu Thai would have all 400 constituency candidates in place. The party was also reaching out to former ministers and key figures to contribute to the election strategy.
Regarding MPs who voted against the party’s stance, Danuporn explained that the party’s ethics committee would handle the matter, as there were clear violations of party rules. He stressed that the party would work swiftly to address the situation and provide clarity to the public.
He also emphasised that the upcoming parliamentary sessions on September 10 and 11 would focus on passing significant legislation proposed by Pheu Thai MPs. Paetongtarn urged MPs to remain active and fully engaged in their duties as the party prepares to assume the opposition role.
When asked about the possibility of MPs switching parties or resigning, Danuporn stated that Pheu Thai respected individual decisions. However, he reiterated that the party was fully prepared to face the election, with Paetongtarn leading the charge.
Regarding past policies, Danuporn mentioned that if the current government did not proceed with initiatives such as the “retirement lottery” or the “20-baht train flat fare” policy, Pheu Thai would be ready to revive them.
“We must continue to monitor whether these laws are implemented. If any policy that benefits the public is not pursued by the current government, we will revive it,” he said.
“We also need to assess how effectively our policies, already passed in the legislature, can be applied.”