The ruling Pheu Thai Party has decided to remove the military-backed Palang Pracharat Party (PPRP) from its new coalition government.

Following a meeting of MPs on Tuesday (27 August), Pheu Thai Secretary-General Sorawong Thienthong told the media that the party MPs requested that the PPRP be left out of the government, asserting that they were dissatisfied with the PPRP’s actions, according to The Reporter.

PPRP leader Gen Prawit Wongsuwan failed to attend Parliament to vote for Paetongtarn Shinawatra as PM on 16 August after failing to show up to vote for Srettha Thavisin as PM last year. It is also widely speculated that he was behind the petition by 40 former senators to dismiss former PM Srettha.

Pheu Thai executives also reiterated that the party can no longer work with the PPRP. However, it is reported that the PPRP, in this context, referred to Gen Prawit.  However, Pheu Thai did not deny that it would exclude the Caretaker Agriculture Minister and PPRP Secretary–General Thamanat Prompow, noting that he has always cooperated well with the party.

The PPRP broke into two factions last week after Gen Prawit and Thamanat got into conflict sparked by different opinions over who should be nominated as cabinet ministers within the PPRP’s quota under the Paetongtarn administration, causing a delay in forming a new cabinet. Thamanat’s faction has explicitly expressed its intention to remain in the Pheu Thai–led government, and it was reported that Thamanat’s faction has completed its discussions with the government.

Sorawong stated that the party would seek support from several parties to ensure the government’s stability, revealing plans to invite the opposition Democrat Party and other small parties to join the coalition. He also mentioned the possibility of inviting 6 MPs from the opposition Thai Sang Thai Party who, against the directive of their party leader, had voted for Paetongtarn during the PM vote on 16 August.

Today (28 August), Pheu Thai officially invited the opposition Democrat Party to join the coalition government. The Democrat Party revealed that it would discuss the issue at a meeting of its executives, which will be held tomorrow (29 August). The Democrat Party, like others, is facing an internal rift over whether to join the Pheu Thai–led government or not.

Former PM and Democrat leader Chuan Leekpai disagreed with joining the government, while it was speculated that the party’s executive members are poised to become part of the government.