By Thai Newsroom Reporters
THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES will likely vote Bhumjaithai leader Anutin Charnvirakul for prime minister to replace the court-deposed Paetongtarn Shinawatra on the upcoming Friday or Saturday, according to Deputy House Speaker Chalard Khamchuang.
He told reporters at parliament today (Sep.3) that MPs will convene either on Friday or Saturday to cast their votes for prime minister after the People’s have formally resolved today to endorse Anutin for head of a Bhumjaithai-led coalition government in which the reformist party will by no means join.
The Bhumjaithai under de facto party boss Newin Chidchob consequently called on House Speaker Wan Noor Matha to open a special House session for the naming of the new prime minister preferably in the next few days.
Meanwhile, it remains to be seen whether His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn will formally endorse a royal decree for House dissolution submitted yesterday by caretaker prime minister Phumtham Wechayachai after the Pheu Thai under de facto party boss Thaksin Shinawatra had apparently failed to win solid support from the People’s for the naming of Chaikasem Nitisiri in rivalry with Anutin for prime minister.
However, Council of State secretary-general Pakorn Nilprapan has earlier contended that neither an acting prime minister nor caretaker prime minister is practically empowered by law to dissolve the House and call a general election.
Academics and government critics insisted that all decrees and petitions filed in pursuit of royal endorsement should be completely, ultimately cleared and void of all legal ambiguities or discrepancy in order to keep the monarch from being unduly involved in perpetrating possible legal shambles.
Nevertheless, if a royal endorsement was provided for the House dissolution decree filed by the Pheu Thai-attached caretaker prime minister, that would completely preclude and nullify the naming of a new prime minister in the House.
But if a royal endorsement was denied, Phumtham, known as a right-hand man for the power-playing Thaksin, could possibly be held guilty of unduly submitting the House dissolution decree and subject to legal penalties.
During a press conference at parliament, Anutin signed what was deemed as a bilateral agreement between the People’s and Bhumjaithai for himself to observe the People’s conditional support for his being named prime minister to the extent that he return power to the people by dissolving the House and calling a general election in four months after his government policy statement has been addressed at parliament and holding a public referendum for the people nationwide to decide whether the coup junta-designed constitution of 2017 should be amended as a whole by an elected Constitution Amendment Committee.
According to People’s leader Nattapong Ruengpanyawut, the People’s, the largest opposition party, will see to it that the Bhumjaithai, core of the new coalition government, will keep their word and do nothing to turn themselves from a minority government to a majority one otherwise the former may launch a censure motion against the latter.
CAPTION:
Top and Front Page: Bhumjaithai leader Anutin Charnvirakul. Both photos: Amarin TV
First insert: Caretaker prime minister Phumtham Wechayachai. Photo: Amarin TV
Second insert: People’s leader Nattapong Ruengpanyawu. Photo: Amarin TV
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People’s bound to choose between Bhumjaithai and Pheu Thai for naming of new PM
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People’s offer conditional vote for new PM
