Position of PM is not easily replaceable : Yingluck

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra on Friday frowned in puzzlement and said she was working too hard to pay attention to unwarranted speculation on her replacement.

"The position of prime minister is not easily replaceable because by the people's mandate, I have been entrusted to do my job backed by the majority vote under democratic rule," she said.

Yingluck was speaking at the sidelines of her official visit to New Zealand.

She said the people could and would render their judgement on her leadership.

She said she might not be an orator to promote herself but her job performance would speak for itself.

"I may fumble with my words when delivering a speech but please don't try to fault me because I speak from my heart," she said.

The resignation of Chiang Mai MP Kasem Nimmolrat last week and Pheu Thai Party's decision to filed Yaowapa Wongsawat, former Thai Rak Thai executive member who was just freed from political ban in May, in the byelection stir speculation of her role in the country administration.

The change just came in time after Yingluck was apparently found in hot seat. The National Anti-Corruption Commission found irregularity while verifying her asset declaration report. Inconsistencies in her asset declaration and her government’s decision to issue a new passport to her brother, fugitive former PM Thaksin Shinawatra, are two issues that have put Yingluck in a hot seat leading to speculation that her sister Yaowapa Wongsawat is being prepared to step in.

The Constitution requires a prime minister to be an MP.