PPRP: Pichet hurt our reputation

Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) MP Pichet Sathirachawal will be grilled by the ruling party over his perceived disloyalty after he threatened to cast a no-confidence vote against the government in relation to the bidding for a major water project in the country’s eastern region.

A party source said that PPRP MP Paiboon Nititawan, who heads a committee on party regulations, had written to ask Mr Pichet to explain himself before the committee next Wednesday after he met with key figures of the opposition Pheu Thai Party on April 28 to discuss the planned no-confidence debate.

According to the letter, Mr Pichet spoke to the media in a way that damaged the party’s reputation on several occasions, which could breach the party’s regulations and code of ethics for members, the source said.

Mr Pichet said yesterday efforts are being made to expel him from the party and stop him from speaking out against the bidding for the water project.

“It will not be good for the ruling party if it decides [to expel him] before a committee set up by the prime minister [to look into transparency of the bidding] finishes its probe,” Mr Pichet said.

But if he is expelled from the party, he will join the opposition Seriruamthai Party of which Pol Gen Sereepisuth Temeeyaves is the leader, said Mr Pichet, who leads a cross-party group of MPs called Group of 16.

Deputy Pheu Thai leader Yuttapong Charasathien previously said transparency in the bidding for a concession to operate the main water transmission pipeline system for the government’s flagship Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) will be made a key issue during the no-confidence debate, expected in late June or early July.

He alleged that the terms of reference for the bidding had been tweaked in favour of a winning bidder at the expense of the state.

On March 14, the Treasury Department named Vongsayam Korsang Co as the winning bidder of its concession to manage and operate the pipeline system with a quote of 25.6 billion baht.