Bangkok – The head of Thailand’s progressive Move Forward Party said on Thursday he was confident of becoming prime minister despite junta-appointed senators saying they will block his appointment.
MFP stunned observers by emerging as the largest party at Sunday’s election, which saw a record turnout deliver a thumping defeat for army-linked parties who had run the kingdom for nearly a decade.
Two more small parties joined the new coalition formed by MFP leader Pita Limjaroenrat, giving it 313 out of 500 seats in the lower house.
“We have a lot of momentum, my coalition is taking shape,” the Harvard-educated, 42-year-old Pita told reporters in Bangkok on Thursday.
“All parties support me, as the Move Forward Party leader, to become the 30th prime minister of Thailand,” he said.
‘พิธา’ @Pita_MFP ประกาศตั้งรัฐบาลของประชาชน เป็นรัฐบาลของคนไทยทุกคน ตั้งทีมเจรจารายละเอียดพร้อมเปิดเอ็มโอยูร่วมรัฐบาล 22 พ.ค.
วันที่ 18 พฤษภาคม 2566 พิธา ลิ้มเจริญรัตน์ หัวหน้าพรรคก้าวไกล พร้อมด้วย นพ.ชลน่าน ศรีแก้ว หัวหน้าพรรคเพื่อไทย, วันมูหะมัดนอร์ มะทา หัวหน้าพรรคประชาชาติ,… pic.twitter.com/aRvcX12dAG
— พรรคก้าวไกล – V?TE #31 (@MFPThailand) May 18, 2023
While the coalition has a large enough majority to govern, to secure the PM’s job it has to muster a majority across both houses — including the Senate, whose 250 members were handpicked by the last junta.
MFP’s determination to amend Thailand’s tough laws against insulting King Maha Vajiralongkorn has spooked the royalist-military conservative establishment.
A number of senators have already said they will vote against Pita and on Wednesday a potential route around their opposition closed as the Bhumjaithai party said it would not support him.
The coalition pact is 63 seats shy of the 376 votes it needs for a majority across both houses.
But Pita played down the challenges.
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“I’m not worried about setting up the government. I’m confident it will happen. I have a clear road map and objectives,” he said.
Pita said the eight coalition parties had committed to finding middle ground on the issue of lese-majese reform – a significant development in itself, given that for many years even discussing the topic was off-limits.
Royal defamation convictions carry a jail term of up to 15 years. MFP says it wants to reduce this maximum and to restrict who can bring allegations — currently anyone can file a complaint to police.
Sunday’s election was the first since mass youth-led pro-democracy protests in Bangkok broke a long-held taboo by demanding curbs to the king’s power and spending.
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Source: AFP
Picture: Twitter/@Pita_MFP
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