Barkar Nash – Page 963

Pita: Move Forward ‘keeps promise with voters, won’t quit coalition’

On: July 23, 2023

PUBLISHED : 23 Jul 2023 at 15:20

The Move Forward Party (MFP) will not quit the eight-party coalition it put together; otherwise, it will be considered to have let people down, its leader Pita Limjaroenrat said on Sunday.

During his trip to Chanthaburi province, reporters asked Mr Pita to comment on whether several other parties in the alliance were apparently trying to convince his party to sacrifice itself and leave the coalition to pave the way for the formation of the next government.

“A sacrifice would mean to dump 14 million votes and disappoint people. Now promises and principles must be kept, rather than telling a party to sacrifice itself,” Mr Pita said, referring to the 14 million votes his party received in the May 14 general election.

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

Mr Pita acknowledged that the Pheu Thai Party had offered talks with the Palang Pracharath and United Thai Nation (UTN) parties.

Reporters asked if the meetings were intended to pressure MFP to leave the eight-party alliance. Mr Pita said that if the two latter parties join the coalition, 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 confirm that I still have trust and confidence in the Pheu Thai Party,” Mr Pita said.

He also acknowledged the meeting of Pheu Thai with Bhumjaithai, Chartpattanakla and UTN which saw MFP as their obstacle to government formation.

Reporters asked if the stance was aimed at pressuring MFP to call off its government formation efforts. Mr Pita said if the eight coalition allies remained united, there would not be any pressure.

Asked how MFP would respond if its seven coalition allies wanted it to back down on its efforts to amend the lese majeste law, Mr Pita said he would then listen to the details of the allies’ standpoints on the law.

Mr Pita said his morale was good and would we maintained by his trips to provinces to support the work of MFP MPs.

He also said his legal team was preparing defence in petitions against his eligibility for political office and Move Forward had not made any mistakes in failing to win prime ministerial and House speaker seats.

Following a decades-long tradition of court rulings trumping the ballot box, one legal petition has already resulted in the Constitutional Court suspending Mr Pita’s MP role.

Most people say PM’s selection will cause division in Thai society: Nida Poll

By: Barkar Nash

On: July 23, 2023

In: South-East Asia

PUBLISHED : 23 Jul 2023 at 10:06

A majority of people believe the ongoing process of selecting the prime minister in parliament will cause division in Thai society, according to an opinion survey by the National Institute of Development Administration, or Nida Poll.

The poll was conducted on July 11-12 by telephone interviews with 1,310 people aged 18 and over of various levels of education, occupations and incomes throughout the country to compile their opinions on whether or not they believed the ongoing selection of the prime minister in parliament will further divide people in Thai society.

In responding to this question, 37.10% said they highly believed this would happen, while 26.64% said the chance of this happening was moderate. On the other side, 20.15% did not think this would happen at all and 16.03% did not quite believe this would happen. The rest, 0.08% had no answer or were not interested.

Asked for how long they thought the new government would last, 60.53% believed it would complete the four-year term; 15.34% said it would last about two years; 11.91% about one year; 6.95% less than six months; 3.28% about three years; and 1.99% had no answer or were not interested.

Suan Dusit Rajabhat University also carried out a survey online during July 20-22 on 1,809 people throughout the country to gauge their opinions on “conflicts in the selection of the prime minister.”

Asked to comment on conflicts in the selection of the prime minister, with each respondent allowed to give more than one answer, 71.73% believed people in society would be further divided; 67.90% said the conflicts would cause people to feel tired of politics; and 62.23% said the conflicts would affect the economy and the people’s livelihood.

Asked what they thought are the causes of the conflicts, 74.21% said political parties are overly obsessed with fighting for power and interests; 63.76% put the blame on senators; and 62.42% said some parties have no respect on the people’s voice and do not concede defeat.

Most think PM selection process will divide society: opinion polls

By: Barkar Nash

On: July 23, 2023

In: South-East Asia

PUBLISHED : 23 Jul 2023 at 10:06

A majority of people believe the ongoing process of selecting the prime minister in parliament will cause division in Thai society, according to two opinion surveys.

The first, by the National Institute of Development Administration, or Nida Poll, was conducted on July 11-12 by telephone interviews with 1,310 people aged 18 and over of various levels of education, occupations and incomes throughout the country.

Asked whether the parliamentary voting procedure would divide society, 37.10% said they strongly believed this would be the case, while 26.64% said the chance of this happening was moderate. On the other side, 20.15% did not think this would happen at all and 16.03% doubted this would happen. The rest, 0.08% had no answer or were not interested.

With each respondent allowed to give more than one answer, 71.73% believed society would be further divided; 67.90% said the conflicts would cause people to feel tired of politics; and 62.23% said the conflicts would affect the economy and people’s livelihoods.

Asked what they thought the causes of the conflicts were, 74.21% said political parties are overly obsessed with fighting for power and interests; 63.76% put the blame on senators; and 62.42% said some parties have no respect for the people’s voice and do not concede defeat.

BMA saves by sorting city’s waste

By: Barkar Nash

On: July 23, 2023

In: South-East Asia

Volume drops by 444 tonnes per day

PUBLISHED : 23 Jul 2023 at 07:00

A campaign promoting the sorting of household waste has begun paying off, says the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA).

The amount of rubbish received by the city’s waste management facilities and the cost of waste treatment has dropped in the past five months, BMA spokesman Aekvarunyoo Amarapala said on Saturday.

The overall city waste volume fell by 67,248 tonnes from February to the end of last month, or about 444 tonnes per day, when compared to the same period last year, resulting in a reduction of 127.8 million baht in waste treatment costs, he said.

In a year-on-year comparison, the quantity of waste the BMA received dropped by 200 tonnes per day on average, or 2.25%, in February; 272 tonnes per day, or 3%, in March; 318 tonnes per day, or 3.6%, in April; 713 tonnes per day, or 7.5%, in May; and 719 tonnes per day, or 7.4% last month.

The fall in the amount of rubbish requiring treatment has brought treatment costs down in the city by 10.6 million baht in February, 16 million baht in March, 18.13 million baht in April, 42 million baht in May and 41 million baht last month, the spokesman said.

“This clearly is a result of BKK Zero Waste, a waste separation project the BMA and public and private partners have jointly been carrying out,” he said.

The BMA is working with communities across the city as well as 998 businesses, education institutions, fresh markets, religious outlets and organisers of public and festive events.

Its partners are encouraged to separate their waste into wet, dry and recyclable categories before it is picked up by BMA rubbish collectors.

In another project, the BMA has encouraged households, businesses and other organisations to separate kitchen waste from biomass, such as leaves and grass, Mr Aekvarunyoo said.

The volume of wet waste received from a total of 1,112 sources taking part in the project fell by 55 tonnes per day, he added.

Pheu Thai solicits coalition support

By: Barkar Nash

On: July 22, 2023

In: South-East Asia

Three parties insist MFP must go

Both the Bhumjaithai Party and Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) say they will not join a coalition government being formed by the Pheu Thai Party if the Move Forward Party (MFP) remains in the eight-party bloc.

Their insistence followed the second largest vote-winner Pheu Thai Party’s attempts to seek support to join the coalition to form the next government after MFP failed to get its prime minister candidate elected.

MFP on Friday announced it would step back, allowing Pheu Thai to take the lead. Pheu Thai led by its leader Cholnan Srikaew on Saturday met three parties — Bhumjaithai, Chartpattanakla and United Thai Nation — at Pheu Thai headquarters.

Dr Cholnan said this condition [excluding MFP from the eight-party coalition] might lead to a dead-end in the party’s efforts to secure support, unless the MFP voluntarily agrees to break away from the eight-party alliance and join the opposition.

He insisted this wasn’t an indirect way of telling the MFP to leave the bloc and become an opposition party instead.

The next meeting of the eight-party alliance is set for Monday. Pheu Thai now needs to speed up talks with all potential partners and senators, he said.

In response to Pheu Thai’s invitation to talks, Bhumjaithai leader Anutin Charnvirakul said his condition regarding MFP was nothing personal.

“It’s impossible for Bhumjaithai to get involved [in the formation of the new coalition] while the MFP still is a part of the coalition. It isn’t about a personal conflict or anything personal but rather because the MFP has a far different way of working from that of Bhumjaithai,” said Mr Anutin.

He said he expects Dr Cholnan to contemplate this “limit” on Bhumjaithai’s help and when Pheu Thai can find a way to overcome this obstacle, Bhumjaithai will be ready to work with Pheu Thai.

According to a Pheu Thai source, the party now aims to gather the support of about 300 MPs, excluding MFP MPs, to vote for Srettha Thavisin, a Pheu Thai prime ministerial candidate, who will be nominated for the job in a vote set for Thursday.

More support is expected to come from Bhumjaithai, PPRP, the Chartthaipattana Party and some other small and micro parties, said the source.

Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon, also leader of the PPRP, won’t take up any cabinet position but will still allow his party to support the Pheu Thai-led formation of the new government, said the source.

This side-switching may prompt protests by MFP supporters but the opposition is unlikely to be powerful enough, observers say. The Pheu Thai Party will try to point out that if it fails this mission, power will return to the hands of Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha, the caretaker prime minister, again.

A source close to the PPRP confirmed on Saturday the party has had talks with Pheu Thai in which it insisted it would agree to work with Pheu Thai only if the MFP was no longer part of the coalition being formed.

“Gen Prawit has agreed to step aside and not to hold any cabinet position while the PPRP joins Pheu Thai in a new coalition,” said the source.

Further negotiations will follow regarding a cabinet portfolio quota the PPRP will receive in return, said the source. As for Gen Prayut, his resignation as a member of United Thai Nation Party (UTN) was actually aimed from the beginning at paving the way for the UTN to work with Pheu Thai, said the source.

Chartpattanakla Party advisory chairman Suwat Liptapanlop said his party would support a majority government and would keep Section 112 of the Criminal Code (the lese majeste law) untouched. “We are willing to join a Pheu Thai-led government and support a Pheu Thai prime ministerial candidate,” he said.

“However, if Move Forward’s policy to amend Section 112 still exists, it will not be in line with Chartpattanakla’s policies. We cannot join the government because amending Section 112 goes against the party’s promises made to the people.”

The final meeting of the day involved United Thai Nation, the party set up as a vehicle for 2014 coup leader Prayut Chan-o-cha to extend his political life. UTN leader Pirapan Salirathavibhaga said his party would not vote for Pheu Thai’s prime ministerial nominee if Move Forward remained in the coalition.

He said the party was invited to clarify its reasons for not working with the MFP, insisting that talks on helping form the government were not included on the agenda.

Seeking partners: Suwat Liptapanlop, advisory chairman of the Chartpattanakla Party, second right, is welcomed by Pheu Thai deputy leader Phumtham Wechayachai (first left) and secretary-general Prasert Chantararuangthong (first right).

Meating adjourned: Pirapan Salirathavibhaga (centre left), the United Thai Nation Party’s leader, Cholnan Srikaew (centre right), Pheu Thai leader, give a toast together at Pheu Thai headquarters.

Court orders DNP to move naughty jumbo

By: Barkar Nash

On: July 22, 2023

In: South-East Asia

PUBLISHED : 23 Jul 2023 at 06:26

The Nakhon Si Thammarat Administrative Court has ordered the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) to capture and relocate a wild elephant named “Phlai Chao Nga” within 15 days.

The elephant left Tai Rom Yen National Park and damaged the crops of locals in Nop Phi Tham district of Nakhon Si Thammarat.

The ruling was read in court on Friday. It ordered the DNP director-general to carry out the operation to relocate the wild elephant to Khlong Saeng Wildlife Sanctuary in Surat Thani within 15 days and report on progress.

Villager Saksit Aoysawat filed a lawsuit after Phlai Chao Nga wandered into his village in tambon Krung Ching while looking for food in January 2022.

The complaint said the DNP had some measures to prevent the elephant from wandering out of the forest, but they did not work.

The DNP previously ordered its officials at the Protected Area Regional Office 5 (Nakhon Si Thammarat) to capture and relocate the elephant to the park but they had yet to do so.

Even though Phlai Chao Nga has not hurt anyone, the elephant has caused widespread damage to farmland and may pose a danger to locals in the future, villagers say.

About 25 witnesses whose farmlands were damaged by the elephant were called in to testify as well as representatives of the park.

The court then handed its verdict to the DNP to catch the elephant within 15 days, starting from Saturday.

The court ordered the DNP to relocate the elephant to Khlong Saeng Wildlife Sanctuary in Surat Thani instead of Khlong Nga Wildlife Sanctuary in Tai Rom Yen National Park as many villagers said the Khlong Nga Wildlife Sanctuary is too close to their village.

The Surat Thani sanctuary is seen as a better choice because the Elephant Conservation and Management Committee, set up by cabinet last year, designated it as one for troublesome wild elephants.

Bhumjaithai to pitch bill shielding hajj pilgrims

By: Barkar Nash

On: July 22, 2023

In: South-East Asia

PUBLISHED : 23 Jul 2023 at 05:55

The Bhumjaithai Party’s working panel on the deep South will ask the party to sponsor a bill to avoid Thai pilgrims performing hajj from being stranded abroad due to irregularities at home.

More than 500 Thai pilgrims from Yala were left to fend for themselves after arriving in Saudi Arabia during the recent hajj, despite paying more than 270,000 baht each for the trip.

Nujmuddin Uma, a former MP for Narathiwat, said the panel has agreed to push for an amendment to the Hajj Affairs Promotion Act to help address future problems.

Reports about Thai pilgrims being left stranded are heard every year, but this year’s incident involving 500 pilgrims caused widespread damage, he said.

It’s time the problem was addressed.

Under the panel’s proposed bill, hajj trips will be supervised by a public organisation with government funding and backing, he said.

The bill seeks to set up a national committee on hajj affairs to be chaired by the prime minister, with high-ranking officials from various agencies and Muslim scholars serving as members, he said.

There will also be a hajj affairs team in charge of the hajj mission and an office of hajj affairs, he said.

Regarding the stranded pilgrims, Deputy Interior Minister Naris Khamnurak has ordered the Department of Provincial Administration (Dopa)’s hajj affairs promotion division to provide assistance and ensure all hajj tour organisers are financially sound and won’t leave people in the lurch.

He also urged Dopa to work with agencies concerned to address high airfares as a hajj package can cost about 250,000 baht on average for a 40-day trip.

Bhumjathai to pitch bill shielding hajj pilgrims

By: Barkar Nash

On: July 22, 2023

In: South-East Asia

PUBLISHED : 23 Jul 2023 at 05:55

The Bhumjathai Party’s working panel on the deep South will ask the party to sponsor a bill to avoid Thai pilgrims performing hajj from being stranded abroad due to irregularities at home.

More than 500 Thai pilgrims from Yala were left to fend for themselves after arriving in Saudi Arabia during the recent hajj, despite paying more than 270,000 baht each for the trip.

Nujmuddin Uma, a former MP for Narathiwat, said the panel has agreed to push for an amendment to the Hajj Affairs Promotion Act to help address future problems.

Reports about Thai pilgrims being left stranded are heard every year, but this year’s incident involving 500 pilgrims caused widespread damage, he said.

It’s time the problem was addressed.

Under the panel’s proposed bill, hajj trips will be supervised by a public organisation with government funding and backing, he said.

The bill seeks to set up a national committee on hajj affairs to be chaired by the prime minister, with high-ranking officials from various agencies and Muslim scholars serving as members, he said.

There will also be a hajj affairs team in charge of the hajj mission and an office of hajj affairs, he said.

He also urged Dopa to work with agencies concerned to address high airfares as a hajj package can cost about 250,000 baht on average for a 40-day trip.

What will Pheu Thai Party do next?

By: Barkar Nash

On: July 22, 2023

In: South-East Asia

After two months of waiting in the wings, the Pheu Thai Party (PT) is now having a go at forming a coalition government.

The party, however, faces the same obstacle as the Move Forward Party (MFP) over how to secure enough votes for its prime ministerial candidate in the joint parliamentary session on Thursday.

MFP leader Pita Limjaroenrat, the MFP’s sole candidate, has been blocked twice from being selected due to the party’s flagship policy to revise Section 112 of the Criminal Code, known as the lese majeste law.

The military-appointed Senate and parties opposing Mr Pita have sent a loud and clear message that they will not endorse any Pheu Thai candidate if the MFP remains in the coalition.

At this point, Pheu Thai is sticking with the eight-party alliance, so it has to figure out a way to persuade the senators and those outside the bloc to change their stance.

Political analysts believe that Pheu Thai, which has three prime minister candidates to choose from, has a few cards up its sleeve to help it secure majority support in parliament.

Nevertheless, the party has remained coy about who among the three — Srettha Thavisin, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, and Chaikasem Nitisiri — it will nominate on Wednesday.

Srettha is most likely

Deputy Pheu Thai leader and list-MP Sutin Klungsang said Mr Srettha is deemed the perfect fit for the current political situation and is likely to get the nod, as suggested by Ms Paetongtarn.

Early last week, the daughter of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and the head of the Pheu Thai family said the party would go with the property tycoon if Mr Pita was rejected a second time.

Mr Sutin said the main hurdle keeping Mr Srettha from getting the required vote is the condition that the MFP must not be in the coalition. The party and its seven prospective partners has hard work ahead in the coming days.

“The eight parties are still on the same team, so they must thrash out solutions together,” he said.

A source in Pheu Thai said there are not so many options if the eight-party bloc still fails to secure the required vote after Pheu Thai takes the lead in forming the coalition and nominates its own candidate.

“Either the bloc ends up in the opposition camp or some parties have to go. If we have to part ways, we have to — otherwise we’ll lose it all. It’s better than getting nothing,” said the source.

But the party is likely to negotiate with the senators to see if they can relax their conditions and ask the MFP if it can back down from its policy to amend the lese majeste law, said the source.

If the senators and the MFP cannot meet each other half way, the bloc will have to decide, the source said, adding that no matter what the decision is, Pheu Thai will make sure Mr Srettha is elected in the July 27 vote.

“It must be done at the first attempt. No matter what the coalition looks like, it must not drag on,” the source said.

Seeking support

Without the MFP, which has 151 seats, Pheu Thai will try to put together a 280-seat coalition and it has had a positive response from the Chartthaipattana and Democrat parties which have 35 seats combined, according to the source.

Rumours have spread that more than half of the Democrat MPs are in talks to join a Pheu Thai coalition, but these were denied by spokesman Ramet Rattanachaweng.

The Democrat Party has yet to select a new executive committee and a new leader to succeed Jurin Laksanawisit, who stepped down after a disastrous showing at the polls.

The United Thai Nation Party (UTN) and the Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP), with 76 seats, are waiting to see the lie of the land and they may request the interior or defence portfolios. Bhumjaithai, the third largest party with 71 seats, is also likely to be brought in, according to the source.

According to the source, while Pheu Thai wants the prime minister vote to be concluded this Thursday, it may nominate Mr Chaikasem to test the waters if it is not sure about its chances.

The Pheu Thai source said Pheu Thai is aware of the huge risks it faces if the party chooses to abandon the MFP.

The party will be seen as betraying its ally and will face a public backlash and tight scrutiny from the MFP which would be pushed into opposition. But the party can turn things around if it gets things done right after grabbing power.

“Not only does the party have to make good on its promises, its MPs have to communicate with voters and strengthen their support bases. This may help voters forgive and forget,” said the source.

Following Mr Pita’s renomination, the Pheu Thai candidates will likely get just one shot each.

Toughest time for Pheu Thai

Stithorn Thananithichot, director of the Office of Innovation for Democracy at King Prajadhipok’s Institute, said Pheu Thai has a few moves to play and it may go with Mr Chaikasem in the next round of voting if the current bloc remains intact.

The party’s possible narrative to back Mr Chaikasem’s nomination is that he is a legal expert and should take charge of the home-coming arrangements for Thaksin who faces the spectre of legal action.

The deposed prime minister plans to return to Thailand before July 26, his 74th birthday, to care for his grandchildren, but his plan is likely to be delayed to avoid any political turbulence.

“Mr Chaikasem is not a real candidate and he is the choice in case the MFP is still in the bloc. But this move is risky because parliament may endorse him. Pheu Thai has to make sure the other parties and senators understand that the move is designed to push the MFP away,” he said.

Mr Srettha will be nominated once the MFP is out of the picture and the Pheu Thai-led coalition will include Bhumjaithai and the PPRP to compensate for the MFP’s exit, he said.

Stithorn: May opt for Chaikasem

In this scenario, PPRP leader Gen Prawit Wongsuwon is unlikely to be part of the cabinet and Pheu Thai will try to get the economic positions, including the energy post to boost the government image and public confidence and deflect pressure, according to Mr Stithorn.

However, he believes Pheu Thai will not severe ties with the MFP so as to maintain leverage over Bhumjaithai and the PPRP, and will offer the MFP a chance to play hero.

“Even if it doesn’t join the coalition, the MFP may still vote for the Pheu Thai candidate to block Gen Prawit’s chances. This would give MFP something to show their supporters,” he said.

Perhaps… Paetongtarn

Thanaporn Sriyakul, director of the Institute of Politics and Policy Analysis, has a different theory about who the real candidate is and believes Mr Chaikasem will never be nominated, with Mr Srettha used as a tool to pressure the MFP to withdraw from the coalition.

After Mr Srettha is rejected, Pheu Thai will have to bring in other parties, which will make the MFP reconsider its position, he said, noting the MFP once suggested the 312 seats are enough to create a “parliamentary dictatorship”.

When this happens, Ms Paetongtarn, who is the party’s genuine prime minister candidate, will be nominated, said Mr Thanaporn.

It remains to be seen which parties between Bhumjathai and UTN will be courted to join the Pheu Thai-led coalition, according to Mr Thanaporn.

He said Thaksin, who is widely seen as the de-facto leader of Pheu Thai, has a history with Newin Chidchob, Bhumjaithai’s patriarch who deserted him, while core figures of the UTN are known to have campaigned for Thaksin’s ouster.

According to the analyst, Thaksin is likely to settle for the one he holds the least grudges with.

Thanaporn: Plot to push MFP aside

What will PT do next?

By: Barkar Nash

On: July 22, 2023

In: South-East Asia

After two months of waiting in the wings, the Pheu Thai Party (PT) is now having a go at forming a coalition government.

The party, however, faces the same obstacle as the Move Forward Party (MFP) over how to secure enough votes for its prime ministerial candidate in the joint parliamentary session on Thursday.

The military-appointed Senate and parties opposing Mr Pita have sent a loud and clear message that they will not endorse any Pheu Thai candidate if the MFP remains in the coalition.

At this point, Pheu Thai is sticking with the eight-party alliance, so it has to figure out a way to persuade the senators and those outside the bloc to change their stance.

Political analysts believe that Pheu Thai, which has three prime minister candidates to choose from, has a few cards up its sleeve to help it secure majority support in parliament.

Nevertheless, the party has remained coy about who among the three — Srettha Thavisin, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, and Chaikasem Nitisiri — it will nominate on Wednesday.

Srettha is most likely

Deputy Pheu Thai leader and list-MP Sutin Klungsang said Mr Srettha is deemed the perfect fit for the current political situation and is likely to get the nod, as suggested by Ms Paetongtarn.

Early last week, the daughter of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and the head of the Pheu Thai family said the party would go with the property tycoon if Mr Pita was rejected a second time.

“The eight parties are still on the same team, so they must thrash out solutions together,” he said.

But the party is likely to negotiate with the senators to see if they can relax their conditions and ask the MFP if it can back down from its policy to amend the lese majeste law, said the source.

“It must be done at the first attempt. No matter what the coalition looks like, it must not drag on,” the source said.

Seeking support

Rumours have spread that more than half of the Democrat MPs are in talks to join a Pheu Thai coalition, but these were denied by spokesman Ramet Rattanachaweng.

The Democrat Party has yet to select a new executive committee and a new leader to succeed Jurin Laksanawisit, who stepped down after a disastrous showing at the polls.

According to the source, while Pheu Thai wants the prime minister vote to be concluded this Thursday, it may nominate Mr Chaikasem to test the waters if it is not sure about its chances.

The Pheu Thai source said Pheu Thai is aware of the huge risks it faces if the party chooses to abandon the MFP.

“Not only does the party have to make good on its promises, its MPs have to communicate with voters and strengthen their support bases. This may help voters forgive and forget,” said the source.

Following Mr Pita’s renomination, the Pheu Thai candidates will likely get just one shot each.

Toughest time for Pheu Thai

The deposed prime minister plans to return to Thailand before July 26, his 74th birthday, to care for his grandchildren, but his plan is likely to be delayed to avoid any political turbulence.

Mr Srettha will be nominated once the MFP is out of the picture and the Pheu Thai-led coalition will include Bhumjaithai and the PPRP to compensate for the MFP’s exit, he said.

Stithorn: May opt for Chaikasem

However, he believes Pheu Thai will not severe ties with the MFP so as to maintain leverage over Bhumjaithai and the PPRP, and will offer the MFP a chance to play hero.

“Even if it doesn’t join the coalition, the MFP may still vote for the Pheu Thai candidate to block Gen Prawit’s chances. This would give MFP something to show their supporters,” he said.

Perhaps… Paetongtarn

When this happens, Ms Paetongtarn, who is the party’s genuine prime minister candidate, will be nominated, said Mr Thanaporn.

It remains to be seen which parties between Bhumjathai and UTN will be courted to join the Pheu Thai-led coalition, according to Mr Thanaporn.

According to the analyst, Thaksin is likely to settle for the one he holds the least grudges with.

Thanaporn: Plot to push MFP aside

Barkar Nash (Page 963)

Srettha is most likely

Seeking support

Toughest time for Pheu Thai

Perhaps… Paetongtarn