No party looking to set up minority government: Prawit

By Thai Newsroom Reporters

PALANG PRACHARATH leader Prawit Wongsuwan said today (Apr.19) no party contesting the May 14 general election, especially his own, is looking to set up or join in a minority government only to run the country in a precarious fashion.

Prawit posted on his Facebook page to reassure that his party contesting the nationwide election under a primary campaign slogan to “step beyond conflict” has not contemplated setting up or joining a minority government as currently feared among critics.

The Palang Pracharth boss apparently referred to possibilities of caretaker prime minister Prayut Chan-o-cha manipulating to set up a minority government, given the likely overwhelming support from most of the 250 unelected senators, albeit being given yea votes from less than half the total of 500 elected MPs.

Prayut and Prawit are contesting to take the helm of government under the Ruam Thai Sang Chart and Palang Pracharath tickets respectively.

A successful partisan candidate for prime minister is legally bound to secure votes of support from more than half the total of MPs and senators combined or at least 376 votes.

Prawit contended that the leadership of any contesting parties would not take risks at becoming a minority government and running the country unstably.

Nevertheless, the Palang Pracharath leader said without elaborating that the standpoints of any contesting parties proclaimed during ongoing campaigns may substantially change after the May 14 election, as long as the country’s “complicated politics” holds sway.

Prawit concluded that pre-election campaign promises could be pivotally different from post-election realities for any contesting parties.

The Palang Pracharath boss said a party’s executive board could possibly do a post-election aboutface though they may have earlier vowed to not deal with another camp but they finally break their promise in bid to set up a coalition government as had been the case in the 2019 election.

For instance, Prawit pointed out, the Bhumjaithai and Democrats had earlier pledged to not endorse the naming of the coup leader-turned-premier Prayut for prime minister after the previous election but in the end they changed their mind so they could be part of the Palang Pracharath-led coalition government.

In particular, he said, the Democrat aboutface had been made at the cost of former premier Abhisit Vejjajiva, who had single-handedly protested against Prayut’s unelected premiership, quitting the post of party leader.

According to the Palang Pracharath leader, it is too soon to say for the time being which parties are going to join hands with any others to set up a government.

Only after the May 14 election could they take “updated, calculated” steps toward the naming of a certain partisan candidate for prime minister and the setting up of a new government, regardless of whatever they may have said during their respective electoral campaigns, he said.

CAPTION:

Palang Pracharath leader Prawit Wongsuwan, centre in above photo, campaigning recently. Top photo: Matichon, Front Page photo: Thai Rath

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