The Prime Minister insists the economic team is strong and sees no need to appoint deputy ministers to reinforce it. He praised Supachai for working so hard that he had to tell her to take some rest.
On 1 May 2026, Anutin Charnvirakul, Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, spoke regarding the social media attacks on Supachai Suthumpun, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce. He affirmed that Supachai works very hard and shows no signs of discouragement, always pushing forward until he has to remind her to rest. He added there is no need to find anyone to assist the team because he trusts in their capabilities and the smooth progress of their work.
The Prime Minister humorously remarked he is not worried about swirling rumors because Supachai is a strong person. When the time comes for her to respond, those who attack might end up feeling "stifled" or even "flipped onto their backs with legs in the air." He emphasized that with the current setup, including permanent officials and an economic advisory team led by Santi Tharn Sathienthai, policy responses are already swift. He urged the public to ignore the snide remarks from those who have never wished them well.
When asked about pressure from the Economic Party demanding that the Minister of Commerce resign, Anutin immediately responded that the party is not part of the coalition government but merely supported him becoming Prime Minister, similar to the Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP), which is considered a "government side party" as it has no ministers in the cabinet. Regarding any future mergers with Bhumjaithai Party, he said that would depend on the future and legal procedures of each party.
"Whether the issue is big or small is not important; what matters is whether the work gets done and policies are pushed forward. I give encouragement to hardworking people like Supachai, who has become much stronger," said Anutin.
During a visit to Bangyai City Market, the Prime Minister presented flowers he had received from the public to Supachai as a sign of confidence in his colleague. He ended with a lighthearted warning to critics: "Take it easy, don't rush to retort or you might get stifled again."