By Thai Newsroom Reporter
THE MILITARY-ASSOCIATED PALANG PRACHARATH today (July 23) jumped onto a bandwagon of parties in shared antagonism against the Move Forward, saying they definitely will not vote for a Pheu Thai candidate for prime minister as long as the progressive camp remains as part of a Pheu Thai-led coalition.
In a press conference at the Pheu Thai headquarters, Pheu Thai leader Chonlanan Srikaew quoted Palang Pracharath secretary-general Santi Prompat and MP Thammanat Prompao, known as personally close to party leader Prawit Wongsuwan, as saying none of the Palang Pracharath MPs will endorse the Pheu Thai contestant for head of a post-election government unless the Move Forward which currently is one of the eight coalition partners is eventually dumped.
The Palang Pracharath apparently shares sentiment against the Move Forward with the Bhumjaithai under de facto party boss Newin Chidchob, the Ruam Thai Sang Chart under de facto party boss/caretaker prime minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and the Chart Thai Pattana headed by Varawut Silpa-archa to the extent that they will definitely vote against the Pheu Thai partisan contender for prime minister only if the Move Forward led by court-suspended Pita Limjaroenrat remains among the Pheu Thai-led coalition partners.
Those conservative parties invited by the Pheu Thai to hold informal talks at the latter’s headquarters in a sustained effort to woo votes from non-coalition MPs for a Pheu Thai candidate prime minister are not only reportedly opposed to the Move Forward campaign-promised policy to amend the lese majeste law, better known as Section 112, but unilaterally concluded that they could not practically collaborate with Pita’s party in government due to differences in what they called ”ideologies and working methods” between the parties on either end of the country’s political spectrum.
Chonlanan said the unchanged stands of those parties against the Move Forward will be discussed in Tuesday’s meeting of the Pheu Thai-led coalition partners.
The Pheu Thai under de facto party boss/deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra will likely name real estate tycoon Srettha Thavisin for prime minister in Thursday’s joint House/Senate meeting after Pita had failed to make it earlier this month. Srettha is known as closely associated with deposed prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra.
Contesting the May 14 general election to take the helm of government were Thaksin’s daughter Paetongtarn Shinawatra and Srettha, who are among a trio of the Pheu Thai prime-ministerial candidates with the third candidate being former justice minister Chaikasem Nitisiri.
Under the military-designed constitution, a prime minister is obliged to get yea votes from more than half the combined total of MPs and senators or at least 375 votes.
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Top and Front Page: Palang Pracharath and Pheu Thai leaders in front of the latter’s headquarters after the former team arrived for talks and at the meeting room. Photos: Naewna
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