Issue to be settled this week with vote for new PM on Friday

Elected representatives and appointed senators will support the formation of a new coalition government on the condition it does not include the Move Forward Party (MFP), the Pheu Thai deputy leader reaffirmed on Monday.

Phumtham Wechayachai said the issue should be decided at talks this week ahead of the expected joint sitting of the two chambers of the parliament on Friday.

The party had confirmed in discussions with elected MPs of other parties and appointed senators that they would vote for a prime minister nominated by the Pheu Thai Party if Move Forward was excluded from the new government.

“This is the problem facing us. The coalition allies will meet to discuss the matter,” Mr Phumtham said.

Pheu Thai would convene a meeting with MFP and the six other allies on Wednesday. On Thursday Pheu Thai MPs would meet. A joint sitting of the House and the Senate was expected to vote for the new prime minister on Friday, Mr Phumtham said.

The MFP won the May 14 general election with 151 House seats. It let Pheu Thai, the second largest party with 141 House seats, take the lead in forming the next government after its leader and sole candidate for prime minister Pita Limjaroenrat failed to win a majority vote from the joint parliament on July 13.

Parliamentarians were concerned about MFP’s intention to amend Section 112 of the Criminal Code,  known as the lese majeste law.

On Monday Mr Phumtham posted economic policies of Pheu Thai on Twitter. He referred to Pheu Thai as the leader of the expected next government.

The policies included 10,000 baht each in all voters' digital wallets, a minimum daily wage of 600 baht in four years, a minimum monthly salary of 20,000 baht for employees with a bachelor’s degree, and a minimum household income of 20,000 baht.

Pheu Thai list MP Noppadon Pattama said the party was likely to nominate Srettha Thavisin for prime minister at a joint sitting on Friday, and he expected him to get a majority vote of support right away.

He dismissed tne MFP’s proposal for the coalition allies to wait 10 months for the five-year terms of the current 249 appointed senators to end, which means the Senate would not be able to join the 500 elected MPs in voting for a prime minister.

People were anxious for the formation of the new government to go ahead, Mr Noppadon said.

Sources said a Pheu Thai-led coalition government might include the Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP), which still leads the caretaker government and has 40 House votes, the Bhumjaithai Party with 71 votes, the Democrat Party with 25, the Chartthaipattana Party with 10, the Prachachat Party with nine, the Pue Thai Rumphlang Party with two MPs, the Chartpattanakla Party with two, the Seri Ruam Thai Party with one and the Plung Sungkom Mai Party, also with one vote.

The new alliance would have 302 votes in the House of 500 representatives.

MFP deputy secretary-general Nattacha Boonchaiinsawat said the make up of a new government should not have been revealed before a meeting of the eight coalition allies, which include the MFP.

“The winning political party [from the general election] let the Pheu Thai Party lead the government's formation because it wants to see a new government of the eight political parties,” Mr Natcha said, a clear reference to the original MFP coalition.

Source:
courtesy of BANGKOK POST

by POST REPORTERS

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