Thailand’s Foreign Affairs Minister Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara tendered his resignation from his cabinet post on Sunday to Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin after the cabinet reshuffle list saw him lose his seat as deputy prime minister.
Parnpree served as a deputy prime minister and the foreign minister prior to the cabinet reshuffle. In the new line-up, he was assigned only the foreign affairs portfolio.
In a resignation letter to the prime minister, Parnpree expressed his intention to step down from the Foreign Affairs Ministry post after he was removed from the deputy prime minister’s post, the Bangkok Post reported.
Parnpree, a member of the ruling Pheu Thai Party, said he believed the reason he was removed had nothing to do with a lack of achievements. Outlining his accomplishments since he joined the cabinet last year, he said he was committed to ensuring the safety of Thais overseas, traveling abroad to negotiate for the release of Thai nationals held hostage following the Hamas-Israel violence. He also mentioned the release of Thais held in Laukkaing in Myanmar.
He was appointed by the prime minister on April 22 as chairman of a special government committee to deal with the crisis in Myanmar after fighting in Myawaddy, Karen State on the Thai border. He visited Mae Sot on the Thai side during the crisis, which saw thousands of refugees flee into Thailand.
Thailand last week proposed that the regional Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) hold a meeting on the issue that would include previous chair Indonesia, which had sought to engage the junta’s rivals, plus current chair Laos and next year’s chair Malaysia.
Parnpree confirmed his resignation from Srettha’s cabinet in a media interview on Sunday, saying it was to “uphold the principle” and that he had total confidence in his work in both roles.
He said that holding just the foreign ministerial post could hinder his work in international affairs and that there were other qualified candidates to assume the role.
