Thai Liberal Party’s party list MP Sereepisuth Temeeyaves has announced his resignation as an MP, but he will remain the party’s leader.
Sereepisuth, a retired police general, said that he has already formally submitted his resignation to the Election Commission and the Secretariat of The House of Representatives.
His resignation will take effect this Friday and the party’s secretary general, Mangkorn Yontrakoon, will take his seat in parliament. The party won only one seat in the May general election.
At a press conference held today (Wednesday), Sereepisuth said that he tendered his resignation on August 23, one day after Srettha Thavisin was voted in as Thailand’s 30th prime minister.
Many believe that he resigned because he was not chosen for a cabinet position in Srettha Thavisin’s government.
He told reporters at the press conference that he had, however, resigned because his party did not get enough support from the voters. “I still wonder why people did not vote for my party,” he said.
Sereepisuth had been at the forefront in criticising the Move Forward party for being unable to form a government, predominantly due to its unwavering stance on amending the lèse majesté law, ultimately ceding power to the Pheu Thai party.
He has also defended Pheu Thai on many occasions, but he said he has never been promised any ministerial position.
“I am not desirous of any position and have never asked for one in government. I decided to resign to allow the number two candidate of the party become the MP,” he said.
Sereepisuth will continue to visit constituencies in preparation for the next general election.
