Defections test government pact

50 Chumphon UTN figures switch to BJT

- AEKARACH SATTABURUTH MONGKOL BANGPRAPA

About 50 national and local politicians from the southern province of Chumphon yesterday defected from the United Thai Nation Party (UTN) to the Bhumjaithai Party (BJP), raising questions about whether the ruling party can still honour its agreement not to form a majority government.

The five-point agreement with the People's Party (PP) - made in exchange for its endorsement of Bhumjaithai leader Anutin Charnvirakul as prime minister - included commitments that Mr Anutin would refrain from manoeuvres to form a majority government and would dissolve the House within four months.

The newcomers, welcomed at Bhumjaithai headquarters by senior party figure Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, included former Chumphon MP Chumpol Junsai, Nopporn Usit, chairman of the Chumphon Provincial Administration Organisation (PAO), and members of Phalang Chumphon. Earlier, a group of 16 UTN MPs, led by former UTN deputy leader Suchart Chomklin, had switched their support to Mr Anutin as prime minister.