Pheu Thai will never leave Move Forward: Chonlanan

By Thai Newsroom Reporters

PHEU THAI LEADER CHONLANAN Srikaew reconfirmed today (June 29) his party will never leave the Move Forward despite sustained discrepancy over the House speaker seat.

Chonlanan responded to speculation that the Pheu Thai might probably opt out by leaving the post-election coalition consisting of eight parties and led by the Move Forward if the second largest elected party finally fails to grab the House Speaker seat as strongly demanded.

The Pheu Thai rank and file under de facto party boss/deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra have insisted that the top post of the legislative branch belong to their party since the Move Forward as the largest elected party has already been given that of the executive branch.

Move Forward and Pheu Thai negotiators are scheduled for Sunday to hold a final talk to settle the dispute over the House Speaker seat whilst the largest elected party has already resolved to name Move Forward MP Padipat Santipada for the much-coveted post.

Chonlanan said the Move Forward and Pheu Thai are virtually tied with each other by the common will of some 25 million people who voted for either party in the May 14 nationwide election. That referred to some 14 million voters who picked the Move Forward and nearly 11 million others who voted for the Pheu Thai.

Move Forward leader/prime minister-designate Pita Limjaroenrat maintained that he has been following a nationwide consensus overwhelmingly manifested in last month’s election by a majority of voters for him to run the country and be assisted by the Pheu Thai and other coalition partners with campaign-promised policies to put to work.

Pita’s and Chonlanan’s comments notwithstanding, the Pheu Thai leadership may have contemplated citing a probable failure to grab the House Speaker post as an excuse for an eventual departure from the Move Forward-led coalition only to abort the naming of Pita for prime minister for whom yea votes from more than half the combined total of MPs and senators or from at least 376 votes will be needed.

Thaksin’s camp could possibly turn to the Palang Pracharath led by Prawit Wongsuwan and the Bhumjaithai under de facto party boss Newin Chidchob, among others, in bid to set up a brand new coalition, given a majority of MPs on their side, thus pushing the Move Forward into an opposition bloc instead.

CAPTIONS:

Top: Pheu Thai leader Chonlanan Srikaew, right, and Move Forward leader and prime minister-designate Pita Limjaroenrat at a recent meeting.

Front Page: Pheu Thai leader Chonlanan Srikaew. Both photos: Matichon

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