On July 2, 2025, at Government House, Mr. Suriya Jungrungreangkit, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport, serving as Acting Prime Minister, gave an interview regarding his assumption of the acting role. He explained that he had to step in as Acting Prime Minister following the Constitutional Court’s preliminary ruling ordering Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra to temporarily suspend her duties until a final decision is issued.
Originally, Mr. Phumtham Wechayachai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, was designated to serve as Acting Prime Minister. However, since Mr. Phumtham has vacated the positions of Minister of Defense and Deputy Prime Minister, he is currently unable to perform those duties, prompting Mr. Suriya to assume the acting role instead.
Mr. Suriya further stated that starting tomorrow, he will lead the Cabinet to take the oath of allegiance before His Majesty the King. After the oath ceremony is completed, Mr. Phumtham will resume his duties as Deputy Prime Minister and Acting Prime Minister. During this interim period, Mr. Suriya emphasized his commitment to performing his duties to the best of his ability, in accordance with government regulations and the law.
When asked whether there were any urgent matters during the one and a half days he would be acting in place of the Prime Minister, Mr. Suriya replied that earlier that morning, the Office of the Prime Minister’s Secretary-General had him sign documents authorizing Mr. Phumtham to resume the role of Acting Prime Minister.
Mr. Suriya remarked that during the approximately ten months of working with Ms. Paetongtarn, he found her to be dedicated and fully committed to her role as Prime Minister, never acting out of personal interest. She consistently urged all Cabinet members to serve with honesty and integrity. Having listened to the audio recording himself, he believes that the Prime Minister’s intention was to foster peaceful relations between Thailand and Cambodia, without any aim to diminish the military’s role.
Regarding whether Ms. Paetongtarn will attend the oath-taking ceremony tomorrow despite potential legal risks, Mr. Suriya affirmed that the Office of the Prime Minister’s Secretary-General and the legal team had thoroughly reviewed the legal provisions and confirmed that everything was in compliance. He is confident all procedures are correct and has consulted with the legal advisors and the Council of State. He also acknowledged that a special Cabinet meeting will be convened to assign responsibilities among the Deputy Prime Ministers after the oath-taking ceremony.