The Pheu Thai Party on Monday congratulated the Move Forward Party (MFP) on its election victory and accepted its proposal to form a coalition government with five other parties.
Key Pheu Thai figures, led by leader Cholnan Srikaew and prime ministerial candidates Srettha Thavisin and Paetongtarn Shinawatra, attended a press conference to announce the party’s stance after MFP leader Pita Limjaroenrat proposed the alliance of six parties, which would obtain 310 seats in the Chamber.
At the briefing, Pheu Thai also said it has no plans to compete with the MFP, which won the most seats in the House in Sunday’s elections, to form a new government.
“(Pheu Thai) accepts the fact that the MFP will lead the formation of the new government and also agrees with the invitation he has extended to the parties of democratic alliances to join the new government.
“The party is of the opinion that the issues and the process related to the formation of the new government should be decided by the MFP,” according to a statement issued by Pheu Thai.
When asked if the party would back Pita as prime minister, Ms. Paetongtarn said Pheu Thai would accept the people’s decision.
He affirmed the party’s stance against abolishing the lèse majesté law, saying he is not against discussing the law in the House.
Asked if his father, fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, would return home as planned, he said there would be no change to the plan unless otherwise announced. However, he insisted that his father’s planned return to Thailand had nothing to do with the party.
Shortly before the election, Thaksin tweeted that he wanted to return home before July 26, his 74th birthday, to care for his grandchildren. He tweeted a similar message on May 1.
Dr Cholnan said that details about the formation of the government would be handled by party executives and that he had no idea how long the talks would take. He refused to discuss Pheu Thai’s conditions at this time.
He said the party was not in a position to say whether the Bhumjaithai Party would be part of the coalition.
Wanwichit Boonprong, a professor of political science at Rangsit University, said the MFP-Pheu Thai-Bhumjaithai coalition would be the best option to defeat the 250-member Senate in the prime ministerial selection vote, which requires the support of at least 376 legislators.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/politics/2571202/pheu-thai-accepts-mfp-invitation-to-coalition
Category: thailand
