By Thai Newsroom Reporters
CARETAKER PRIME minister Phumtham Wechayachai confirmed today (Sep.4) that a decree which he has recently filed in pursuit of royal endorsement for dissolution of the House of Representatives to call a general election has been denied by the Office of Privy Councillors due to legal ambiguities and discrepancy.
Phumtham, viewed as a right-hand man for de facto Pheu Thai boss Thaksin Shinawatra, admitted that his latest effort to keep Bhumjaithai leader Anutin Charnvirakul from rising to premiership by issuing an otherwise royally-endorsed decree for House dissolution has been aborted by the Office of Privy Councillors primarily due to legal ambiguities and unresolved contention among parties concerned.
Nevertheless, what may appear to be Thaksin’s last-ditch effort over power struggle against the Bhumjaithai under de facto party boss Newin Chidchob is for Chaikasem Nitisiri, the Pheu Thai candidate for prime minister under the banners of his camp, to formally offer to dissolve the House immediately after his government’s policy statement has been delivered at parliament.
That compared to Anutin’s signed agreement in accordance with the People’s conditional support for the naming of him as head of a Bhumjaithai-led, minority government to the extent that he dissolve the House to call a general election in four months after his government policy statement has been formally addressed at parliament.
People’s leader Nattapong Ruengpanyawut and Anutin have signed the agreement drafted by the reformist camp to assure that he will hold 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 in addition to the promised House dissolution in four months whilst maintaining the Bhumjaithai-led coalition government as a minority one so that they practically remain under control of the People’s who will by no means join the Anutin government or take any ministerial seat in cabinet.
The naming of a new prime minister to replace the court-deposed Paetongtarn Shinawatra, daughter of the de facto Pheu Thai boss, is scheduled during a special House meeting tomorrow (Sep.5) where Anutin and Chaikasem will ultimately contest against each other for power.
The Bhumjaithai-led coalition reportedly has 146 MPs at command, compared to an estimated 203 MPs on the Pheu Thai side, but all 143 People’s MPs have ultimately chosen to vote for Anutin. A prime minister is required by law to secure a simple majority vote of support from among the elected lawmakers, currently accounting for 248.
CAPTIONS:
Caretaker Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai. Top photo: Thai Rath, Front Page photo: Amarin TV
Insert: Pheu Thai candidate for prime minister Chaikasem Nitisiri, centre, with caretaker Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai on his right at this afternoon’s press conference. Photo: Amarin TV
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