Yingluck dismisses substitute rumour

Yingluck Shinawatra, Pheu Thai Party-list MP-elect, has denied a media report that her party has a substitute for a prime minister's seat in line to replace her in case she is disqualified by the Election Commission (EC), Thai News Agency reported Thursday. On Thursday, a local media reported that the party has named its leader and No. 2 list MP Yongyuth Wichaidit as an alternative for a prime minister's seat in case, the Election Commission does not endorse her MP status. She also insisted that she was not worried over the EC's decision on delayed endorsement of her MP status, saying that the election agency had taken its normal steps of work and that she was ready to answer all the accusations. Meanwhile, Yingluck refused to comment on the report that the she would offer the former supreme commander General Sampao Chusri the defense ministerial seat, saying only that she was ready to listen to other people's opinions including those of the Army commander-in-chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha on the matter. In a related development, Acting Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva spoke of attempts to pressure the election agency during the validation of MPs. He cited, for instance, foreign speculation pointing to unrest if the agency withholds validation for Yingluck and other elected candidates coming from the red shirt United Democratic Alliance Against Dictatorship (UDD). Abhisit urged the agency to base its decisions on facts and transparency, while also discouraging the Pheu Thai Party from influencing the process.