Democrat secretary-general Suthep Thaugsuban has bowed to the demand of Bhumjaithai Party de facto leader Newin Chidchob to remove Puea Pandin from the coalition.
The source yesterday said Mr Suthep had agreed to Mr Newin's plan after hearing how he could make up for the reduced number of coalition MPs in parliament without Puea Pandin.
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Missed opportunities in the censure debate
The coalition government would be left with 22 fewer votes of support through the departure of Puea Pandin.
Puea Pandin has 32 MPs, but 10 come under the influence of Pol Gen Pracha Promnok and they did not support the administration in the first place.
The source said Mr Newin had given assurances to Mr Suthep that he could find adequate support to stabilise the coalition alliance following Puea Pandin's departure.
Mr Newin's plan calls for the coalition to keep at least 11 votes: five from the Ban Rim Nam faction of Puea Pandin which supports the government and six from the Matubhumi and Pracharaj parties, which are now in the opposition and each hold three seats in the lower house
The government also might secure six or eight more seats if Puea Pandin MP for Udon Thani Chaiyos Jiramethakarn can talk his colleagues into leaving the party.
The source said Mr Newin had suggested the three groups be given a deputy ministerial post each. Mr Chaiyos's group might be given a ministerial post if more than eight seats could be secured.
Mr Newin has also assured that he could win over two defectors from the opposition Puea Thai Party.
``If things go as Mr Newin plans, the coalition will maintain the same number of votes, or even more,'' the source said.
The source noted that under Mr Newin's plan, the Democrat Party would be able to ``retake'' the industry minister post from Puea Pandin.
``And if Mr Chaiyos can't find more than eight seats, the ICT [information and communication technology] min ister post may be returned to the Democrat Party as well,'' the source said.
Ranongruk Suwunchwee, a member of Puea Pandin's Wang Phayanak-Korat faction, is now ICT minister.
The source said the plan was raised at a meeting yesterday between Mr Suthep, Mr Newin and Anuthin Charnvirakul, the son of Bhumjaithai Party leader and Interior Minister Chavarat Charnvirakul.
Bhumjaithai, angered by Puea Pandin's failure to support Mr Chavarat and Transport Minister Sohpon Zarum in the vote on Wednesday on the censure debate, pressured the Democrats to choose between the two parties.
The Democrat Party's executive board will discuss Mr Newin's proposal today as well as the party's internal reshuffle.
Mr Suthep said earlier yesterday he would do all he could to stabilise the government and allow it to carry on working.
He said ``anything was possible'' when asked if it was possible to exclude only dissident Puea Pandin MPs who did not vote for the Bhumjaithai ministers.
Bhumjaithai deputy leader Boonjong Wongtrairat said yesterday the results of the censure debate reflected instability in the government and called for action.
He said the Democrats would not have tolerated Puea Pandin's move had its ministers been put in the same position.
Puea Pandin yesterday threatened to have its whips resign in protest if Mr Chavarat and Mr Sohpon were allowed to retain their posts.
Party spokesman Alongkot Maneekas said there was no point in serving as coalition whips if the two ministers remained in the cabinet.
He defended the party's vote in the no-confidence debate, saying Bhumjaithai would be held to account if the party was removed.
``Bhumjaithai will have to answer to the public as to what the MPs did wrong in performing their jobs,'' he said.
Pracharaj secretary-general Thanit Thienthong yesterday dismissed as unlikely a report about the party joining the coalition.
He believed the hatchets could be buried within the coalition, and he said his party had never been approached to take part in government.
``The 2011 budget bill is pending approval by the House,'' he said. ``I don't think the ruling party will show Puea Pandin the door in a situation like this.''
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