Chartthaipattana Party backs Paetongtarn, stresses national security

Chartthaipattana Party expresses support for Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, emphasising national security and the need for a strong government.

Varawut Silpa-archa, party leader and Minister of Social Development and Human Security, announced on Thursday that the party had called a meeting of MPs and party executives to discuss the political situation following the Bhumjaithai Party’s request to withdraw from the government coalition.

At the same time, the public has called for coalition parties to withdraw from the government after Paetongtarn admitted to a phone conversation with Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen regarding the Thai-Cambodian border dispute.Following discussions, a variety of proposals were put forward. It was agreed that decisions should not be rushed, as the incident had only occurred within the past 24 hours. Furthermore, the heads of coalition parties had not yet discussed the details with the prime minister, Varawut explained.

An important consideration was the security of the nation, and the party believes that the government should focus on ensuring stability and sovereignty for Thailand. The party does not want to see any loss and has tasked Varawut with being the representative in detailed discussions with the prime minister.

“Regarding the situation at the Thai-Cambodian border, a strong government is crucial for ensuring territorial sovereignty. Therefore, we wish to speak with the prime minister first, as we still lack complete information,” Varawut said.

“We have heard the conversation but do not know the context. Once we have all the necessary information, we can discuss the matter further.” When asked whether the party’s position meant they would continue to support the government, Varawut said that national sovereignty and security were paramount.

We cannot afford to take risks. If we can strengthen the government during this critical time, the party views that as an important factor to support. After speaking with the prime minister and gaining more details, we will present the matter to the party executive committee for further consideration, he said.

Varawut noted that Chartthaipattana Party has had a clear stance since the formation of this government, following the election results on May 14, 2023. “Today, we are not withdrawing. We will discuss how we will proceed,” he said.

When asked if the party might face criticism for appearing to support the prime minister, Varawut said that discussions to understand each party’s position are important, and he believes that other coalition parties are also meeting to discuss this.

Though Varawut was unsure of the purpose of the leaked audio clip, he said while it has caused confusion, the most important thing is the security of our nation’s sovereignty along the border.

(2025/06/19-00:00)