3rd biggest party doesn’t want election winner in coalition

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In: South-East Asia

PUBLISHED : 30 Jul 2023 at 17:24

3rd biggest party doesn't want election winner in coalition
Bhumjaithai Party leader Anutin Charnvirakul, second from right, shares a toast with Pheu Thai Party leader Cholnan Srikaew, right, and key figures of both parties at the head office of Pheu Thai on July 22. (Photo: Somchai Poomlard)

The Bhumjaithai Party will not join a coalition government if it includes the Move Forward Party (MFP), Bhumjaithai leader Anutin Charnvirakul confirmed on Sunday.

The leader of the party which came third in the May 14 election with 71 House seats said that Bhumjaithai stood firm with its same old standpoint that it would not join a coalition government if the formation included MFP.

MFP won the general election with 151 House seats. It tried to form the next government with seven other political parties. The Pheu Thai Party which came second in the polls with 141 House seats was the other big ally in the coalition group.

“If the eight-party alliance remains as declared in the MoU, the ninth ally will never be Bhumjaithai. Please rest assured,” said Mr Anutin who is also caretaker deputy prime minister and public health minister.

The eight-party alliance had 312 House votes.

Mr Anutin said he never heard of any initiative to form a coalition government with nine political parties to obtain a majority vote for prime minister from 500 MPs in the elected House and the Senate with 249 senators.

Since he discussed coalition government formation with Pheu Thai on July 22, he has not been contacted to have a talk on this issue again, Mr Anutin said.

Mr Anutin refused to comment on the possibility of the MFP being excluded from the next coalition government.

Meanwhile, MFP list MP Wiroj Lakkhanaadisorn wrote on Facebook that there were many rumours that the MFP would be excluded from the coalition alliance and made an opposition party, and he considered them as efforts to divide the eight-party alliance.

Without the MFP, a coalition government would not be able to answer questions from the people, he wrote.

Prasert Chanthararuangthong, secretary-general of the Pheu Thai Party, said the eight hopeful coaltion parties will meet officially before the parliament again votes for prime minister, possibly on Aug 4 (Froday).

On July 13 MFP leader and prime ministerial candidate Pita Limjaroenrat failed to win a majority vote from the parliament to become prime minister. On July 19 the parliament rejected his renomination.