At 8:00 AM on June 10, Mr. Ekanat Promphan, Minister of Industry and Secretary-General of the United Thai Nation (UTN) Party, spoke on the program Inside Thailand regarding the leaked list of 21 UTN MPs who allegedly signed a letter to the Prime Minister requesting a Cabinet reshuffle within the party’s quota. He questioned the document's authenticity, noting that several MPs had already denied involvement—especially the three Chumphon MPs. Ekanat said it was unclear when or how the signatures were compiled, and the heading of the document raised further confusion.
Ekanat emphasized that the letter criticized UTN ministers for lacking knowledge, competence, and ethics. It was reportedly signed by Mr. Suchart Chomklin, Deputy Minister of Commerce and Deputy Party Leader. Ekanat questioned whether Suchart had fully read the content before signing, as the criticism would apply to him as a minister as well. He suggested the document might have been manipulated to attack both the party leader and secretary-general, and warned that submitting a fake document to the Prime Minister could have legal consequences.
Regarding the document’s validity, Ekanat said he noticed irregularities such as signatures that looked like those of children and initials in place of full names—anomalies that raised serious doubts. Multiple MPs, including Chumphon MPs Vichai Sudsawat, San Saetang, and Supol Julsai, affirmed they had not signed the document.
Ekanat questioned who leaked the document, who forged the signatures, and whether it was truly submitted to the Prime Minister. He vowed to remain principled and resistant to corrupt influences, asserting that those within the party likely knew who was behind the plot.
When asked about internal conflicts within UTN, Ekanat acknowledged that issues might stem from poor communication or feelings of exclusion, which could be resolved. However, if personal interests were driving the conflict, it would be more difficult to address.
Responding to claims of a feudal-like atmosphere in the party—with “a queen” and “nine elite figures” controlling decision-making—Ekanat dismissed them as false and part of a manipulation campaign by a small group.
Ekanat assured that the party has mechanisms to resolve internal disputes and that conversations with members occur regularly. When asked whether Mr. Suchart might be expelled from the party or removed from the Cabinet, he replied it was still unclear whether Suchart was behind the letter. Ekanat attempted to call him the night before but received no response, and he urged Suchart to answer and speak man-to-man.