Two ministers facing the axe

Key People Power Party figures agreed yesterday Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama and Commerce Minister Mingkwan Sangsuwan, as well as five other Cabinet members, should be replaced to reduce mounting pressure on the government.

The conclusion was reached after a discussion between the ruling party's key men and former executives of the disbanded Thai Rak Thai Party who are stripped of their electoral rights for five years, according to a PPP source.

The banned politicians have retained strong ties with their former colleagues, who are now key figures at the PPP, which is regarded as a reincarnation of the dissolved party.

It was agreed there should be a major Cabinet reshuffle after the censure debate in order to reduce pressure from the People's Alliance for Democracy, which is rallying outside Government House, and to prevent certain coalition parties from withdrawing, the source said.

The PPP had found smaller coalition parties appeared discontent with Noppadon's explanations over the Preah Vihear Temple controversy, according to the source. The foreign minister was accused by the opposition of putting Thailand in a risky position of losing more territory for his "active support" in Cambodia's bid to register the temple ruins as a World Heritage site.

Mingkwan, the source said, had become another target for replacement due to his "accumulative conflicts" with Deputy Commerce Minister Banyin Tangpaporn, who is from the coalition Matchima Thipataya Party.

"Noppadon and Mingkwan will be among the seven ministers expected to be replaced," said the source, who requested anonymity.

The source said the PPP leaders and former senior TRT members had urged former premier and TRT's ex-leader Thaksin Shinawatra to ask Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej to reshuffle his Cabinet.

The goal was to allow the government to continue with its plan to amend the Constitution, which as a result would remove any legal obstacles to allow the TRT's 111 banned executives an early return to politics, according to the source.

Meanwhile, Chart Thai leader Banharn Silpa-archa told MPs from his coalition party to vote in support of the Cabinet members targeted in the censure debate for the sake of government stability, a party source said.

"It is proper for Chart Thai as a coalition party. Whatever the consequences, we must offer support to allow the government to remain in office. We will look at the consequences later and what to do about it," Banharn was quoted as telling his party MPs at their meeting.

However, at least one Chart Thai MP yesterday expressed dissatisfaction at the foreign minister's explanations about the Preah Vihear controversy.

Siripong Angkasakulkiat, who represents Si Sa Ket on the border with Cambodia, said Noppadon failed to answer some questions regarding his active support for Cambodia.

In a related development, government and opposition whips agreed yesterday to extend the censure debate another day, government chief whip Samart Kaewmeechai said.

It was originally agreed the debate would continue until tonight with the voting held tomorrow, he said.

The House debate on the 2009 Budget Bill would be postponed to Saturday, scheduled to be the last day of the current extraordinary Parliamentary session, according to Samart.