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Published on February 6, 2008

They spoke after a report surfaced that Thaksin and Samak were at loggerheads over formation of the new Cabinet and that Samak wanted to stay in government for longer than Thaksin had intended him to.

Noppadon Pattama, Foreign Minister and legal adviser to Thaksin, dismissed the rumours, saying Thaksin had stepped down from politics and Samak, as prime minister, was in charge of the current government.

"The prime minister has a right to complain about his Cabinet. I insist that Samak has the ability to run the country without any directives from the ex-premier," Noppadon said.

He said Samak was not a "nominee" of Thaksin's and that Samak had his own way of running the country.

When asked of the possibility of a clash between Samak and Thaksin, Noppadon said he was completely unaware of any conflict and believes the pair enjoy a good relationship.

"I don't know of any conflict between them," he added.

A source said yesterday Samak had upset Thaksin because he wanted to run the country "his own way". Samak demonstrated this by saying that the Cabinet looked like "ugly ducklings".

This didn't go down well with Thaksin and Newin Chidchob. Newin, a close aide of Thaksin, sent his aide to take several ministries. Then Samak removed Newin's father Chai from the Cabinet.

Party-list MP Jatuporn Promphan said he believed the "rumour" was designed to damage the party. He said it was impossible Thaksin and Samak had clashed because Thaksin knew and understood Samak's personality very well.

He said there had been a conspiracy to stir up trouble within his party since the PPP won the election and began to look at forming the new government.

Sucheera Pinijparakarn

The Nation