Payap Shinawatra, the younger brother of fugitive ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra, yesterday managed to subdue discontent among Pheu Thai Party's MPs from the Northeast and got them to change their minds about having him replaced as chief of the party's committee for the Northeast.
Once the meeting ended Payap and 20 party MPs, including leaders of rival factions such as Somsak Kiatsuranond, Paijit Sriworakhan, and Supol Fong-ngam, called a press conference, at which the panel's spokesman Prasit Chaiwirattana insisted that all MPs from the Northeast were united. He also dismissed media speculation that some would defect to other parties ahead of the next general election.
The spokesman said the party's goal was to win as many as 270 MP seats in the next election expected to be held early next year.
Meanwhile, Somsak told reporters that though the Northeast MPs had "different views" they could finally agree on adjustments to the committee's structure. "But Payap is still the chairman of the committee," he added.
Paijit said replacing the committee's chairman was "not the main point" of the discussion.
"This is because Payap was invited by the Northeast MPs to become chairman. From now on, we will not complain any more and Pheu Thai should not worry that any MP will move to another party," he said.
The veteran politician said he did not think any other party would be able to provide the same "warmth and care" for its MPs that Pheu Thai does.
Supol also insisted that there were no conflicts, "just a difference in views". He said none of the Northeast MPs he talked to would leave the party.
Payap told the press conference yesterday that despite the different views, there were no major conflicts "We are the same family, a close-knit family. Though we may bicker sometimes, we are still like siblings," he said.