“Chao” criticized “Anutin” for illogical reasoning, citing family matters to silence reporters, and stressed that the prime minister’s position and the country’s budget are not personal inheritances.,
On 29 Jul 2026 GMT+7, Mr. Chao Meekhuad, former deputy spokesperson of the Democrat Party and a lawyer, posted on Facebook under the title “Family Matters: The Prime Minister’s Illogical Reasoning.” He wrote that after hearing Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul respond to reporters, he was unsure whether to laugh at the sweet joke or worry about the leader’s understanding of public authority. Anutin had posted a photo with Mr. Newin Chidchob and Mr. Pipat Ratchakitprakarn, along with the caption “Relations #NakhonPhanom fractured like Crème Brûlée.” When reporters asked if they were clearing the air, Anutin emotionally replied, “Are you in my house? If not, then don’t ask,” and insisted it was a “family matter,” an internal party issue not for public knowledge.
“At first glance, this statement seems firm, decisive, and protective of those inside the house. But upon reflection, it is a deeply flawed logic. Power relationships are not family matters. You must always remember that you are the prime minister, not just an ordinary family head. The personal relationship between Anutin and Newin—whether they love, argue, sulk, or share desserts—is not something the public has the right to interfere with, unless you are simply Anutin the foodie and music lover.” Mr. Chao added,
However, since Anutin is the prime minister, Pipat is deputy prime minister and transport minister, and Newin is a well-known figure with longstanding political influence, their relationships cannot be regarded as private family affairs to be off-limits. The public has the right to ask whether these relationships affect power arrangements, appointments, policy decisions, government work divisions, or the national budget. This is to ensure those inside the “house” are not using personal ties to appropriate public assets and authority. The prime minister’s position is not a family heirloom, ministries are not rooms in a house, the national budget is not a private fund, and Thailand is not the inheritance of any political family. Importantly, you yourself brought this issue into the public domain, so you cannot forbid the public from asking questions.
Mr. Chao further stated that the photo of the three men was not secretly taken through a window by reporters; Anutin himself posted it publicly, playing on the “fractured” news story. If you choose to display internal relationships publicly to communicate that everything remains solid, you must also accept the follow-up questions. You cannot selectively claim benefits from the image while denying responsibility for its implications.