The new leader of the Pheu Thai Party will be a party member but will not be related to the Shinawatra family, party election director Suriya Jungrungreangkit said on Wednesday.
He was speaking after party leader and former prime minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra announced her resignation.
Mr Suriya said at the party’s headquarters that Pheu Thai had deep bonds with the Shinawatra family. Thaksin Shinawatra was its founder, back when it was named the Thai Rak Thai Party, which was later dissolved by the court.
‘However, everything changes. …. I have learned that the party will find a person who is not related to the family. That person will be a member of the party but not part of the Shinawatra family,’ Mr Suriya said.
He dismissed speculation that he might be the next leader. He said the new party leader should be from the younger generation and be able to effectively lead the party into the coming general election.
Mr Suriya also denied a report that his faction of 70 MPs had pressured Ms Paetongtarn to resign from the leadership, threatening to pull out if she did not.
He said he began his political career with the Thai Rak Thai Party led by Thaksin and had been party secretary-general. During Ms Paetongtarn’s administration he was transport minister and a deputy prime minister.
Ms Paetongtarn had been generous, he said, “it’s just not possible that I would lead MPs to another party.’
Mr Suriya said his faction would remain with Pheu Thai and he would recruit more members and increase the number of Pheu Thai MPs to 200, as he had said he would.
Chusak Sirinil was on Wednesday appointed acting party leader. Pheu Thai will elect its new leader and a new party executive board on Oct 31.