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Coalition mulls rejig after knock-backs

The eight-party alliance will meet on Tuesday to conclude whether the Move Forward Party (MFP) will still join them in forming the new government after other parties refused to support the coalition in a prime ministerial vote if MFP stays on.

Over the past couple of days the Pheu Thai Party (PT), which is leading efforts to cobble together a government after MFP failed in its bid to get its own leader elected to the post, has asked parties for their support during the second vote planned for Thursday.

A common response is they could not agree to work with Pheu Thai if MFP, its major coalition partner, stands by its plan to amend Section 112 of the Criminal Code, also known as the lese majeste law, said Pheu Thai leader Cholnan Srikaew.

He was speaking after talks with the Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) on Sunday. This stance will be reported back to the alliance before any further decisions are made regarding the composition of the coalition, said Dr Cholnan.

Pheu Thai intends to seek talks with all parties, except the Democrat Party, which appears unready for talks as it still is without a party leader.

“Before Pheu Thai nominates its prime ministerial candidate, the alliance will have to conclude how it can secure at least 375 votes in support of the candidate,” he said.

Pheu Thai has also decided to send former industry minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit to conduct the talks, starting on Monday, with certain senators individually instead of making it a formal meeting with the Senate, he said.

PPRP secretary-general Santi Promphat said the PPRP finds the MFP’s bid to amend the lese majeste law unacceptable and has a firm stance against that.

“The PPRP has also told Pheu Thai so, and that the MFP’s intention to amend the lese majeste law is a key factor which could persuade the PPRP to turn down Pheu Thai’s offer that it join the new coalition,” said Mr Santi.

Meanwhile, Capt Thamanat Prompow, a PPRP MP for Phayao, insisted the PPRP would not nominate Gen Prawit Wongsuwon for a prime ministerial vote because the party missed its target set for the May 14 general election of winning at least 250 House seats.

While waiting for Pheu Thai to form the coalition government, the Senate whip suggested on Sunday that Pheu Thai may consider postponing the next prime ministerial vote to early August if it has yet to muster sufficient support for its candidate and still isn’t ready for the next vote.

First, Pheu Thai will have to clarify which parties will be included in the new coalition it is attempting to form, Senator Somchai Sawangkarn, in his capacity as secretary-general of the Senate whip, said.

Likening the new coalition formation as a wedding, with Pheu Thai as the groom and MFP as the would-be bride, the senator said the groom will have to say clearly who would actually be his bride.

“Make the Senate a scapegoat no more. It’ll be ungentlemanly of you to not break up properly with the would-be bride named Move Forward and try to make the Senate announce the break-up for you,” said Mr Somchai.

“That will be highly inappropriate. If you aren’t ready, don’t tie the knot. You had better get everything ready first to ensure the wedding will run smoothly. Picking a prime minister isn’t like choosing things at a department store,” said the senator.

In another development, Chartthaipattana Party leader Varawut Silpa-archa insisted after a formal meeting with Pheu Thai on Sunday that his party would decide to work with Pheu Thai only when the latter has clearly excluded any parties with an intention to amend or end the lese majeste law.

A group of protesters on Sunday gathered outside Pheu Thai’s head office while the party’s executives were meeting the PPRP. Protesters demanded Dr Cholnan honour the promise he made on behalf of Pheu Thai on the day they and six other parties signed a memorandum of understanding agreeing to work together.

Now Pheu Thai has turned to work with two military parties in disguise, Dr Cholnan must resign, said the protesters.

Some protesters threw flour at Dr Cholnan and Capt Thamanat when they emerged from the meeting. The incident prompted both Pheu Thai and PPRP politicians to flee the scene through a back exit of the building.

One of the protesters was identified as Thanalop “Yok” Phalanchai, a 15-year-old activist released from a juvenile centre in Nakhon Pathom while on a royal defamation charge.

Coalition mulls rejig after knock-backs

The eight-party alliance will meet on Tuesday to conclude whether the Move Forward Party (MFP) will still join them in forming the new government after other parties refused to support the coalition in a prime ministerial vote if MFP stays on.

Over the past couple of days the Pheu Thai Party (PT), which is leading efforts to cobble together a government after MFP failed in its bid to get its own leader elected to the post, has asked parties for their support during the second vote planned for Thursday.

A common response is they could not agree to work with Pheu Thai if MFP, its major coalition partner, stands by its plan to amend Section 112 of the Criminal Code, also known as the lese majeste law, said Pheu Thai leader Cholnan Srikaew.

He was speaking after talks with the Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) on Sunday. This stance will be reported back to the alliance before any further decisions are made regarding the composition of the coalition, said Dr Cholnan.

Pheu Thai intends to seek talks with all parties, except the Democrat Party, which appears unready for talks as it still is without a party leader.

“Before Pheu Thai nominates its prime ministerial candidate, the alliance will have to conclude how it can secure at least 375 votes in support of the candidate,” he said.

Pheu Thai has also decided to send former industry minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit to conduct the talks, starting on Monday, with certain senators individually instead of making it a formal meeting with the Senate, he said.

PPRP secretary-general Santi Promphat said the PPRP finds the MFP’s bid to amend the lese majeste law unacceptable and has a firm stance against that.

“The PPRP has also told Pheu Thai so, and that the MFP’s intention to amend the lese majeste law is a key factor which could persuade the PPRP to turn down Pheu Thai’s offer that it join the new coalition,” said Mr Santi.

Meanwhile, Capt Thamanat Prompow, a PPRP MP for Phayao, insisted the PPRP would not nominate Gen Prawit Wongsuwon for a prime ministerial vote because the party missed its target set for the May 14 general election of winning at least 250 House seats.

While waiting for Pheu Thai to form the coalition government, the Senate whip suggested on Sunday that Pheu Thai may consider postponing the next prime ministerial vote to early August if it has yet to muster sufficient support for its candidate and still isn’t ready for the next vote.

First, Pheu Thai will have to clarify which parties will be included in the new coalition it is attempting to form, Senator Somchai Sawangkarn, in his capacity as secretary-general of the Senate whip, said.

Likening the new coalition formation as a wedding, with Pheu Thai as the groom and MFP as the would-be bride, the senator said the groom will have to say clearly who would actually be his bride.

“Make the Senate a scapegoat no more. It’ll be ungentlemanly of you to not break up properly with the would-be bride named Move Forward and try to make the Senate announce the break-up for you,” said Mr Somchai.

“That will be highly inappropriate. If you aren’t ready, don’t tie the knot. You had better get everything ready first to ensure the wedding will run smoothly. Picking a prime minister isn’t like choosing things at a department store,” said the senator.

In another development, Chartthaipattana Party leader Varawut Silpa-archa insisted after a formal meeting with Pheu Thai on Sunday that his party would decide to work with Pheu Thai only when the latter has clearly excluded any parties with an intention to amend or end the lese majeste law.

A group of protesters on Sunday gathered outside Pheu Thai’s head office while the party’s executives were meeting the PPRP. Protesters demanded Dr Cholnan honour the promise he made on behalf of Pheu Thai on the day they and six other parties signed a memorandum of understanding agreeing to work together.

Now Pheu Thai has turned to work with two military parties in disguise, Dr Cholnan must resign, said the protesters.

Some protesters threw flour at Dr Cholnan and Capt Thamanat when they emerged from the meeting. The incident prompted both Pheu Thai and PPRP politicians to flee the scene through a back exit of the building.

The flour was a reference to Capt Thamanat, who spent four years in an Australian prison for heroin trafficking in the 1990s. When the case came to light in Thailand years later, he claimed the substance was flour.

Ruling on the Thamanat case in 2021, the Constitutional Court said that being convicted of a major felony in another country is not a barrier to serving as an MP in Thailand.

One of the protesters was identified as Thanalop “Yok” Phalanchai, a 15-year-old activist released from a juvenile centre in Nakhon Pathom while on a royal defamation charge..

Two celebrities have been summoned for questioning in connection with the Forex-3D Ponzi scheme, according to the Department of Special Investigation (DSI).

Pol Maj Gen Woranan Srilam, a senior investigator for financial crimes with the DSI, said the celebrities are among eight people that investigators have determined are connected with the Ponzi scheme.

The first is an actor who is summonsed to meet the DSI on Aug 8 and the other is a celebrity DJ who is expected on Aug 17, he said, adding the DSI may also question them about their relationship with Apiruk Kothi, one of the scheme’s alleged masterminds.

“Investigators will review other evidence, not just financial transactions, to ensure fairness. We’ll determine if the transactions are legal,” he said.

Pol Maj Gen Woranan said those who have been charged with fraud may be investigated for money laundering if they are proved to be involved in illegal asset transfers.

It was reported the two celebrities are actor Ratthaphum “Film” Tokhongsap, who ran for a House seat under the Palang Pracharath Party’s banner, and Wichian “DJ Petjah” Kusolmanomai.

The Forex-3D scheme, which lured thousands to invest in what they believed to be a foreign exchange trading platform with false promises of high returns, was run by Mr Apiruk who was arrested in January 2021.

Political activist and former senator Ruangkrai Leekitwattana on Sunday said he has petitioned the National Anti-Corruption Commission to look into irregularities he found in a list of assets declared by six senators on May 14, 2019.

The senators were among those who voted for Move Forward Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat as prime minister in parliament on July 13.

They are Kraisid Tontisirin, Saki Pithukkhumpol, Pol Lt Gen Jitti Rodbangyang, Pisan Manawapat, Wutthiphan Wichairat and Prapasri Suchantabutr, said Mr Ruangkrai.

The irregularities include differences in the sum of declared total income per year and the amount of income declared in a breakdown along with sources, he said.

He said he attached a request for the NACC to examine these irregularities and also find out if the amounts of tax paid by these senators and their spouses were consistent with the amounts declared.

The Move Forward Party will not quit the eight-party coalition and let people down, MFP leader Pita Limjaroenrat said yesterday.

During a trip to Chanthaburi province, reporters asked Mr Pita to comment on whether other parties in the alliance were asking the MFP to sacrifice itself by leaving the coalition to pave the way for the formation of the next government.

“A sacrifice would mean dumping 14 million votes and disappointing people,” Mr Pita said, referring to the votes MFP won during the May 14 general election.

“Promises and principles must be kept, rather than telling a party to sacrifice itself.”

“If we keep the promises we made with people, no one will have to make a sacrifice,” he added.

Mr Pita acknowledged the Pheu Thai Party, its main coalition partner, had offered talks with the pro-military Palang Pracharath (PPRP) and United Thai Nation (UTN) parties.

When asked if the meetings were intended to pressure the MFP to leave the eight-party alliance, Mr Pita said if the parties joined the coalition, the MFP could not stay.

“As far as I know, the parties were invited only for an exchange of opinions. I will wait for an explanation from the Pheu Thai Party.

“I can confirm that I still have trust and confidence in Pheu Thai,” Mr Pita said.

He also acknowledged a meeting between Pheu Thai and Bhumjaithai, Chartpattanakla and UTN, which said they saw the MFP as an obstacle to forming a government.

Asked if the notion was aimed at pressuring the MFP to call off its efforts to form a government, Mr Pita said if the coalition allies remained united, there would be no pressure exerted from outside parties.

Asked how the MFP would respond if its seven coalition allies called for it to back down on efforts to amend the lese majeste law, Mr Pita said he would first listen for more details on their opposition.

Despite the political dramas, Mr Pita said he is in good spirits as he travels the provinces to support the work of MFP MPs.

He also said his legal team is preparing a defence against those questioning his eligibility for political-office positions.

Khon Kaen: A government-run hospital in the province has been ordered to shut its infectious waste disposal facility following complaints from residents of a nearby dormitory.

Residents of Kradangnga dormitory said they have been bothered by the foul smell coming from Khon Kaen Hospital’s newly-built infectious waste disposal facility, saying the odour has affected business in the area. They also fear the waste contained at the site isn’t being properly processed before disposal.

Thirasak Thikayuphan, mayor of Nakhon Khon Kaen municipality, said authorities have inspected the facility and found it was built in line with the required standards.

However, he said, authorities have decided to suspend the operation due to the odour complaints. The problem, he said, continues to persist despite repeated attempts to address it.

The Ministry of Public Health’s Department of Health have also been asked to recommend ways to tackle the foul smell.

Khon Kaen Hospital said the facility uses steam to disinfect waste, in line with standards employed by hospitals across the country.

The hospital will install more carbon filters around the facility in an effort to address the problem.

Pornprapa Kensaenkhot, a tenant at the dormitory, said the smell is a public health hazard. She said she has been forced to put a face mask on in her own home.

“The red trash bins contain chemical and infected waste that could be harmful to health. I’m worried they may have long-term health effects,” Ms Pornprapa said.

PHNOM PENH: Vote counting was under way yesterday in Cambodia’s general election, which long-time leader Hun Sen is all but guaranteed to win as he looks to secure his legacy by handing the reins to his eldest son.

The 70-year-old former Khmer Rouge cadre has ruled since 1985 and faces no real contest in this vote, with opposition parties banned, challenger candidates forced to flee and freedom of expression stifled.

His Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) is likely to retain all 125 seats in the lower house, prolonging his grip on power and paving the way for a dynastic succession some critics have compared to North Korean politics.

The only serious opposition party was disqualified on a technicality in the runup to the polls and it will be a surprise if any of the 17 other small, poorly funded parties win seats.

Over the last 30 years what hopes the international community might have had for a vibrant multi-party democracy in Cambodia have been flattened by the juggernaut of Hun Sen’s rule.

The veteran PM has begun to look to the future, saying he would hand over to his son, four-star general Hun Manet — possibly even in the coming weeks.

The 45-year-old scion led the final CPP rally in Phnom Penh ahead of polling day, telling a raucous crowd on Friday that it was “victory day” for the country.

Critics would disagree, and rights groups have condemned the upcoming election.

On the eve of voting, a 17-strong coalition — including the Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) and the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) — characterised the polls as being of “profound concern”.

“The upcoming electoral exercise indicates a notable absence of transparency, fairness, and inclusivity in the electoral process,” the coalition said on Saturday.

In the days ahead of the polls, capital Phnom Penh was blanketed by huge posters of Hun Sen.

But many are now looking to Hun Manet, educated in the United States and Britain, wondering if a change in leadership might bring change to the country, one of the region’s poorest. afp

Tropical storm “Doksuri” from Taiwan will not hit Thailand directly but the Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) has warned a monsoon will hit Thailand from Saturday until Tuesday week, bringing heavy rain to 46 provinces.

Deputy government spokeswoman Rachada Dhnadirek yesterday said the TMD had advised the storm is moving northeastward and is expected to hit Taiwan on Wednesday. Although Thailand will not experience the full force of the storm, it will exacerbate monsoon conditions and result in rainfall over the weekend.

The TMD also forecast heavy rainfall today in some areas of the lower North, Northeast, Central Plains, including Bangkok and its adjacent provinces, as well as the East and western part of the South, which may result in flash floods and runoff, especially in foothill slopes and lowlands.