BANGKOK: Thailand’s Move Forward Party (MFP) will allow its alliance partner, Pheu Thai Party, to form the next government after the nomination of its leader Pita Limjaroenrat failed to get the backing of Parliament.
MFP secretary-general, Chaithawat Tulathon said the party will support Pheu Thai to nominate its prime minister candidate when the Parliament meets next Thursday (July 27).
“It is clear that there are coordinated efforts by conservative parties to block MFP from forming a government.
“The important thing today is not if Pita can become a prime minister or not, but it is about returning democracy to Thailand.
“We will let the second largest party in the coalition lead in forming the government,” he said at a press conference here today.
He added that MFP’s proposal to amend Article 112 of the Criminal Code or better known as lèse-majesté has been used as an excuse to reject the party.
MFP which won 151 seats and garnered 14.2 million votes, in the May 14 General Election is leading a coalition of eight parties that secure 312 of the 500 seats in the House of Representatives.
During the first round of voting on July 13, Pita, the sole prime ministerial nominee, only received 324 votes.
Of the 705 lawmakers present, 182 voted against him, while 199 abstained.
Only 13 of the 249 senators (one resigned on Wednesday) backed Pita with the rest voting against him or abstaining.
Pita’s second attempt to win the top job, on Wednesday, came to an end after his candidature was again rejected by the bicameral Parliament.
Meanwhile, Pheu Thai Party is quite clear that if it takes power, it would not amend Article 112 of the Criminal Code.
Srettha Thavisin, Pheu Thai’s prime ministerial candidate, asserted that it is obvious that the 749-member bicameral legislature will not support a party that supports the lèse-majesté bill.
“Pheu Thai will not consider amending Section 112 of the Criminal Code if it nominates its prime ministerial candidate in the next joint sitting on July 27. No lèse-majesté law as the junta-appointed senators will not support the candidate.
“It is basic maths,” he said.
Srettha is one of the three prime minister candidates of Pheu Thai, which won 141 seats in the May 14 General Election.
The 250- military appointed senators have made it clear that they will not support any prime ministerial candidate who plans to amend Article 112 of the Criminal Code. -Bernama
