Yotchanan, accompanied by Julapan and Suriya, led the Pheu Thai constituency MPs team onto an EV bus to pay respects at a shrine before reporting to Parliament. They affirmed there was no issue with Pheu Thai names being rejected. Julapan denied that Suriya and Somsak had been ousted from ministerial seats and smiled, confirming he had already spoken with Anutin.
At 09:30 on 27 Feb 2026, the Pheu Thai Party (PT) saw Mr. Yotchanan Wongsawat, prime ministerial candidate and prospective party-list MP, alongside Mr. Julapan Amornwiwat, party leader and prospective party-list MP; Mr. Suriya Jungrungkit, prospective party-list MP; and Mr. Prasert Chanruangthong, PT secretary-general and prospective party-list MP, lead a group of constituency MPs onto an EV bus from the Pheu Thai headquarters to report as members of the 27th House of Representatives to the Secretariat of the House at the Parliament building.
Upon arrival, Mr. Yotchanan and the group paid respects to the Parliament's sacred guardians: Phra Siam Devadhiraj, Phra Suea Muang, Phra Song Muang, Phra Phum Chai Mongkol, and the Ta and Yai shrine, for auspiciousness before leading the team to report their presence.
Mr. Yotchanan expressed pride in serving the nation and the people, calling it a noble achievement of Pheu Thai's long-standing legacy. He said they gathered to demonstrate unity and readiness to begin working for the citizens.
When asked about how Pheu Thai would share ministries in cooperation with Bhumjaithai, Mr. Yotchanan said no further discussions had taken place since their initial meetings. They need to assess internally what roles they will assume and be ready to perform their duties.
Asked about reports that Pheu Thai had submitted names that Bhumjaithai rejected yesterday, Mr. Yotchanan denied this, saying the party had internal discussions about readiness to work in all forms during this period of planning and preparation.
When asked if Pheu Thai's ministry quota matched the reports, Mr. Julapan stated, "We have not discussed cabinet division or ministry allocation with Bhumjaithai yet. After the invitation, initial talks focused on future cooperation. There has been no discussion on party strengths or allocation. This is not our main concern since our party is not the top-ranking one. We must wait for the leading party to proceed with government formation and coalition building."
Mr. Julapan added he had also heard from the news that the number of MPs was nearly 300, which supports the likelihood of government formation progress. He said it is now the task of leading parties to convene and discuss personnel suitability, party expertise, and policy alignment for forming a coalition government.
Asked if Pheu Thai has the authority to allocate personnel and whether Bhumjaithai should not interfere, Mr. Julapan said that the power to appoint cabinet ministers according tothe lawbelongs to the prime minister. After party-list MPs are certified, the House will convene around the end of the month to elect the House Speaker. About a week later, the royal decree will endorse the Speaker, followed by a vote to select the prime minister. Then the prime minister will have the authority to form the cabinet by submitting names for vetting and royal appointment. Thus, it is not about whether Pheu Thai has power; it depends on the prime minister. Of course, coalition discussions are important. Based on past experience working with Anutin Charnvirakul,the prime minister,discussions like these will help ensure smooth cooperation and mutual understanding. Regarding the news about submitted names and rejections, I spoke with them yesterday (26 Feb 2026) and confirmed there was no such incident since Pheu Thai has not submitted any names or held talks yet.
When asked what would happen if names were submitted and rejected, Mr. Julapan said it would need to be discussed. He has not witnessed such events and does not see any benefit in speculating whether it might happen.Hypothetically,he said, it would not be helpful to speculate as no such incidents have occurred. They will wait for discussions and talks to resolve the matter.
Regarding rumors that these issues were leaked internally by Pheu Thai, Mr. Julapan denied this, affirming party unity is evident as they appeared together today with all constituency MPs, and next week party-list MPs will join. This demonstration shows Pheu Thai’s readiness and solidarity to work as legislators.
After reporting, Mr. Yotchanan will lead a party meeting on legislative matters, preparing to submit about 20 bills immediately after Parliament convenes. They are reviewing details and will appoint members to represent the party in submitting bills, demonstrating readiness to work legislatively.
A reporter asked who Pheu Thai had talked with in Bhumjaithai, specifically if it was with Anutin.
Mr. Julapan answered that he personally spoke with Bhumjaithai leaders about why such rumors emerged. Bhumjaithai confirmed there were no such reports because Pheu Thai had not submitted names or discussed ministries. Regarding rumors that Suriya Jungrungkit and Prasert Chanruangthong were rejected for ministerial posts, Julapan said he did not take it seriously as it is a normal political process during this waiting period.Processessuch as certification by the Election Commission,MPs reporting to Parliament,and waiting for Parliament to convene create a transitional phase where all parties must await government formation completion. Such rumors may not be deliberate leaks but misunderstandings in society and media reporting to create activity, though without harm since the party has confirmed the qualifications of all MPs and the prime ministerial candidate.
Mr. Julapan emphasized, "As party leader, I have not submitted any names, and those rumored to be rejected are valuable party personnel with proven track records in administration and legislation, with clean records. They deserve fairness. The rumors have no foundation."
A reporter asked if the rumored names are prospective ministers. Mr. Julapan said the party has many qualified potential ministers, including several experienced MPs.
This is a matter for the party executive committee to discuss further, which has not started yet. Regarding Pheu Thai’s desire for younger leaders to manage government, Mr. Yotchanan said their initial discussions focused on what to do on day one, national issues, and global trends. They have personnel capable of working with the government effectively. Certainly, ministry work requires collaboration across all ministries to advance the country.When asked if he would personally oversee the Ministry of Higher Education,Science, Research,and Innovation, Mr. Yotchanan said he could not provide details yet but would inform once clarified. Preparationshave been made for all ministries.
Regarding ministries with current sensitive issues such as Agriculture and Labor, which Bhumjaithai will allocate to Pheu Thai to manage, Mr. Yotchanan said, "There are no hot potato matters. These are national issues, not about ministry grades. No one dares to call any ministry Grade A because all ministries are important and can proceed effectively."
Asked about whether party policies will be discussed for ministry work, Mr. Yotchanan said Pheu Thai’s policies must align with those of other parties, and once clarified, discussions will follow.RegardingMiss Paethongtarn Shinawatra, former Pheu Thai leader, visiting Mr. Thaksin Shinawatra in prison and saying he will retire from politics, and whether this affects the party’s work, Mr. Yotchanan replied this is a personal matter. Pheu Thai will continue as a political party.
At the end of the interview, a reporter jokingly asked if "Nim" had talked with "Noo" yet,Mr. Julapanturned, laughed, smiled, and nodded in response.
