Friends of Newin deny lobbying cabinet seats

The Friends of Newin faction yesterday accused rivals within the People Power Party of slinging mud by spreading false allegations about its intense lobbying for Cabinet seats.

The faction, comprising followers of banned Thai Rak Thai Party executive Newin Chidchob, claimed its rivals wanted to undermine its strength.

"Those disappointed with the Cabinet line-up want to fault and destroy the faction for their failure to secure ministerial appointments," MP Topong Chaiyasan said.

Meanwhile, Boonjong Wongtrairat, another MP in the group, yesterday warned against reducing the number of the faction's Cabinet seats in the next government.

"We used to have four ministerial seats and there will be two more, which has been agreed. Any attempt to cut the number of seats or dissolve our group will be viewed as bad manners," Boonjong said.

"At least the original seats should be maintained, otherwise there will be problems in the near future. We haven't done any bargaining or put any pressure," he added.

Topong said yesterday that his faction members did not lobby for positions because their faction still retained six Cabinet seats as had been allocated previously.

He denied speculation that two faction members, Suraphon Fongngam and Prachak Kaewklahan, were being lured away in exchange for plum assignments.

He said he just had a telephone conversation with Newin, who assured him that there was no squabble over the ministerial line-up.

He added that his faction planned to organise a party event designed to change negative character traits such as jealousy and rivalry.

MPs would be encouraged to participate in team sports, such as football, basketball, and entertain one another through karaoke singing in order to bury grudges, he said.

In the next two weeks, the main coalition party might host a golf tournament for MPs to compete for the Thaksin Cup as a way to forge unity, he said.

He said his faction had no involvement in forming a new party "Suvarnabhumi" as a standby in case the PPP is dissolved.

Deputy Agriculture Minister Theerachai Saenkaew said news reports had wrongly portrayed his faction relating to the allocation of Cabinet seats.

Theerachai voiced optimism that he would keep his position regardless of speculation to the contrary.