Anutin Charnvirakul rejects any cabinet reshuffle affecting Bhumjaithai’s hold on the powerful Interior Ministry, citing the 2023 deal with Pheu Thai. Warns reshuffle rumours destabilize bureaucracy amid mounting pressure from Thaksin and political tensions.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior Anutin Charnvirakul has rejected out of hand any prospect of a cabinet reshuffle impacting the cabinet seats his party holds in the government. On Saturday, speaking on his return to Thailand from Geneva, he rejected any reports to the contrary. In brief, he said that in July 2023, his party had been invited by the Pheu Thai Party to form a government. That deal involved key ministries which cannot be changed as long as his party remains in the coalition. The position in effect puts it up to Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra to assert her authority as Prime Minister.
Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul on Friday flatly rejected rumours that his Bhumjaithai Party would surrender the Interior Ministry in a looming cabinet reshuffle. Speaking at Suvarnabhumi Airport after returning from Geneva, Anutin said there was no reason to revisit ministerial agreements. He insisted the deal made with the Pheu Thai Party still stood.
“There’s no more need for discussion,” he told reporters. “We already agreed on everything when we joined this government.”
According to Anutin, Bhumjaithai never asked to join the coalition in the first place. “We were invited by Pheu Thai,” he said. “We accepted based on mutual terms.”
Anutin Charnvirakul firmly rejects all rumours of Bhumjaithai surrendering Interior Ministry in reshuffle
That agreement, he stressed, included Bhumjaithai holding onto the Interior Ministry. “We’re not shifting ministries. We haven’t talked about it. It’s simply not happening,” he said.
His firm stance comes amid mounting pressure from former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. In recent comments, Thaksin suggested that Pheu Thai should reclaim the Interior portfolio.
The Interior Ministry is considered one of the most powerful in Thai politics. It controls the provincial administration, governors and internal security coordination.
However, Anutin made clear that Bhumjaithai would not let it go. “There’s no ministry I’d exchange it for,” he said. “Agreements must be honoured.”
He emphasized that all of Bhumjaithai’s ministers were still working effectively. “They have our full confidence,” he added.
When asked whether he might accept the Education or Energy portfolios instead, Anutin waved off the idea. “This isn’t about individuals wanting power—it’s about respecting what we signed on to,” he said.
Bhumjaithai holds firm on Interior Ministry amid Thaksin’s calls for Pheu Thai to reclaim the power post
He also recalled July 2023, when the coalition government was being formed. “We were invited to talk. I still remember that day clearly,” Anutin said. “We ate chocolate mint together. That’s how the agreement began.”
At the time, angry protesters surrounded the building, and the talks were tense. But the coalition deal held. Since then, Anutin said, no changes had been discussed.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra recently confirmed for the first time that a reshuffle was being considered. Yet she also pledged to consult all coalition partners before any decisions.
Even so, speculation persists that Bhumjaithai could be forced to swap ministries—possibly trading Interior for the Transport Ministry, which is now held by Pheu Thai.
Anutin dismissed that as baseless. “There is no negotiation,” he said. “That ended in July 2023. We already made an agreement. We’re working under it until our term ends.”
Some reports claimed that Bhumjaithai was negotiating with the United Thai Nation Party, known as Ruam Thai Sang Chart. According to these rumours, the parties met at the Rajapruek Club.
Anutin recounts coalition talks from July 2023 and rejects reshuffle rumours despite ongoing speculation
Anutin confirmed the dinner but denied any political bargaining. “Yes, we had meals. But no, we didn’t discuss deals,” he said.
He explained that the talks were focused on energy cooperation. “We’re trying to bring down electricity bills. That takes coordination,” he said.
The Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) is under the Energy Ministry. However, the Provincial and Metropolitan Electricity Authorities fall under the Interior Ministry.
Meanwhile, the Industry Ministry controls usage policies. “To lower costs, all sides must work together,” Anutin said.
He said he had already spoken with Energy Minister Pirapan Salirathavibhaga and Industry Minister Ekkanat Promphan. The three agreed to prepare for a joint workshop.
The seminar, he added, would be chaired by the prime minister. “If people say we’re dining to negotiate, they’re wrong. We talk all the time. It’s just work.”
Dinner meeting focused on energy cooperation, not political deals, to lower electricity costs across ministries
Rumours also surfaced that Bhumjaithai MPs were quietly pushing for a new cabinet formula. Again, Anutin dismissed it outright. “There’s no such thing,” he said. “Any news not coming from me, the secretary or the spokesperson is false.”
He also addressed why he had recently posted photos with the prime minister on social media. “We’re facing tensions with neighbouring countries. The prime minister has to make tough decisions,” he said.
“I posted those photos to show that the Interior Ministry stands ready to support her,” he explained.
Although reshuffle talks are heating up, Anutin said Paetongtarn had never raised the issue with him directly. “We usually use the Line app to communicate,” he said. “Only in emergencies do we call.”
He added that she had reassured coalition partners in a cabinet meeting. “She was very clear. If we don’t believe her, we can’t work,” Anutin said.
Anutin denies new cabinet plans and shows strong solidarity with the prime minister amid political tensions
He warned that nonstop speculation about ministerial changes was destabilizing the bureaucracy. “It creates uncertainty among civil servants,” he said.
“They become afraid to act. They worry about being accused of bias,” he continued. “That hurts governance more than anything.”
Despite his strong statements, observers say Bhumjaithai may need to show flexibility. As the second-largest coalition party, it faces intense pressure from Pheu Thai and Thaksin’s inner circle.
Former Democrat MP Thepthai Senpong suggested the party may already be softening its stance. He pointed to Anutin’s recent public overtures and toned-down rhetoric.
Still, Anutin denied any change. “There’s no new formula. No change. We work with the team we started with,” he insisted.
Asked what he would do if Pheu Thai removed him from the Interior Ministry, Anutin shrugged it off. “I haven’t even considered it. It’s not possible,” he said.
Anutin warns reshuffle rumours hurt bureaucracy but denies any change despite mounting pressure
On Sunday, Anutin will travel to Ubon Ratchathani to meet governors from seven provinces. He has instructed them to finalize evacuation plans and prepare for any security incidents.
Concerns are growing about nationalist unrest due to the border crisis. Meanwhile, officials in the Interior Ministry fear tensions with Cambodia or even Myanmar could escalate in the coming weeks.
While Paetongtarn remains noncommittal, political pressure from former Prime Minister Thaksin and Pheu Thai appears to be mounting. Yet Anutin, for now, remains defiant.
Reshuffle talks occur against a backdrop of external tensions such as the Cambodian border standoff
He has drawn a clear red line. “We’re here because of an agreement,” he said. “And that agreement hasn’t changed.”
The new tough stance from the Bhumjaithai Party puts it up to Pheu Thai and Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra. Significantly, it is coming at a time when the party has been weakened by the fallout from the Cambodian-Thai border crisis.
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Reshuffle talks occur against a backdrop of external tensions such as the Cambodian border standoff
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