Pheu Thai leader Paetongtarn Shinawatra said on Wednesday her father Thaksin was just joking when he told party MPs on Tuesday he was ready to work as her assistant if asked, a remark which could put the party at risk of dissolution.
Ms Paetongtarn told reporters that Thaksin made the off-the-cuff remark when addressing a Pheu Thai Party Academy session for young MPs at party headquarters on Tuesday.
Thaksin had made a surprise visit, and was just joking when he said he would be her assistant, Ms Paetongtarn said.
Asked if she, as Pheu Thai leader, would officially appoint Thaksin as her assistant, Ms Paetongtarn told reporters she would not do that because Thaksin had many other things that he wanted to do.
However, she naturally sought his advice in the context of being members of the same family, she said.
Thaksin was ready to share his experience with any interested party, not only Pheu Thai MPs, Ms Paetongtarn said.
During Tuesday's session, Thaksin told young Pheu Thai MPs that they performed well during the recent budget bill debate. He advised them to keep developing themselves and said that if he was available, he would be ready to be an assistant to the party leader and give advice.
Earlier the Election Commission warned that Pheu Thai risked dissolution if Thaksin was proved to control the party.
Under Section 28 the Organic Act on Political Parties, no political party is permitted to allow or perform any action to allow any person who is not a party member to control, dominate or instruct party activities in a way that causes the party and its members to either directly or indirectly be dependent.
Former Democrat MP Thepthai Senpong said on Facebook that Thaksin wanted to strengthen young members of Pheu Thai so they could compete with rivals in the Move Forward Party.
He recalled that Thaksin earlier visited Nakhon Ratchasima province and invited Suwat Liptapanlop, chairman of the Chart Pattana Party, to support Pheu Thai.
That remark showed Thaksin was the de facto leader of Pheu Thai, he said. Thaksin later said he was speaking on behalf of Ms Paetongtarn because he did not want to be seen in breach of the organic act, Mr Thepthai said.
