Phumtham confident of Paetongtarn’s survival, no contingency plan

Acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayakul said on Thursday that the ruling Pheu Thai Party has no contingency plan for the constitutional court case against suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, expressing confidence she will survive.

Phumtham also dismissed the possibility that Paetongtarn would resign before the court delivers a ruling on her case on August 29, saying she has never discussed this possibility.

The court has scheduled August 29 for the verdict in the case against Paetongtarn, who has been accused by a group of 36 senators of breaching the ethical standards of the prime minister by siding with Cambodia during a phone conversation with Cambodian strongman Hun Sen.

Phumtham said the ruling Pheu Thai Party had confidence in Paetongtarn’s sincerity, stating that she had not done anything to jeopardise national security in her conversation with Hun Sen.

He acknowledged the senators' concerns that her conversation with Hun Sen might affect national security, but asserted that the government has proven those concerns to be unfounded.

He further stated that during the border clashes with Cambodia, the government demonstrated that it did not favour Cambodia and regarded Cambodia as an invading nation.

Phumtham added that it was normal for people to have different opinions and that it was Paetongtarn's responsibility to explain the issue to the court.

He said the government did not need to prepare any contingency plan in case of a political accident because everything would proceed in accordance with the democratic process.

Phumtham also stated that it would be acceptable for the court to reduce the number of defence witnesses from five to two, as Paetongtarn would present her own testimony and that of the National Security Council to prove that her phone conversation did not harm the country.