Phiphat denies rumors of a rift with Newin, revealing plans to meet this evening. He describes Newin's role as the senior advisor to Bhumjaithai Party, citing his extensive political experience. Phiphat also intends to file a complaint about false reports linking his daughter to Senate vote-rigging and urges people to verify information before speaking.
At 11:40 a.m. on 27 July 2026 at the Government House, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, a key leader of the Bhumjaithai Party, addressed rumors of a rift with Newin Chidchob, chairman of Buriram United Football Club and senior advisor to Bhumjaithai. He said these were merely rumors aimed at causing division, which he could not confirm. However, they hold weekly meetings together, so he urged people not to worry. He emphasized that he, the Prime Minister, and Newin are united, and suspected ill-wishers spreading false information.
When asked about government stability, Phiphat said he was uncertain about the coalition government's overall stability due to the multiple parties involved. However, within Bhumjaithai Party, there are no issues. He asked the media to help clarify misinformation, noting that in the past two to three days there had been widespread negative reports claiming conflicts between himself and Newin. He confirmed that on 31 July, he and Newin will participate together in merit-making activities in Nakhon Si Thammarat, and on 1 August, they will attend a friendly football match between Pattani and Buriram. If they were not in communication, they would not be going together, so the rumors are false.
Asked if he knew who was spreading these malicious rumors, Phiphat said he did not. When checking information on various pages, they turned out to be anonymous or avatar pages, making it difficult to identify the source. He has reported the matter to the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society and requested cyber police assistance in investigating, since their own checks only found anonymous pages.
Regarding whether there was internal party discord, Phiphat said the party holds weekly meetings. Normally, the Bhumjaithai Cabinet members meet every Monday to follow up on their ministries' work.
He explained, “The senior advisor is the one who compiles all information. Because he has extensive political experience, he advises us regularly. I am not a career politician, so politically I may not fully understand all aspects. Being a politician is difficult; sometimes you cannot speak frankly, and if you lie and get caught, you are criticized. Thus, political expertise is necessary. Bhumjaithai designates the senior advisor to counsel new ministers and members. Even I, who am not a politician, seek his advice as someone knowledgeable with long political experience.” Phiphat said this.
Asked if Newin had commented on the recent news, Phiphat said they had not discussed the rumors in the past two to three days, but he had spoken to Newin by phone, who said he was in Buriram and planned to meet this evening. Regarding accusations of collusion in the Senate elections, Phiphat said his name was never involved initially, so he was confused why it appeared now. He confirmed he was not involved or connected. Regarding allegations involving his daughter, he clarified she is a company employee with no political involvement at all. He said the source of these false claims should be questioned. He will consult lawyers on how to proceed, including filing complaints if necessary, since his daughter has no political ties.
He added, “I urge those who speak to carefully consider their words. Don’t just say whatever comes to mind or repeat whispered rumors that damage reputations. If the blame falls solely on me, I can accept that because of my position, but my daughter works in a company and is not involved politically, so do not generalize.” Phiphat concluded.