PITA receives coalition support, Thailand, Bangkok

BANGKOK — The potential eight-party coalition has approved the nomination of Forward Movement leader Peta Limjaronrat as prime minister in the second round of voting scheduled for Wednesday (July 19, 2023), despite doubts about his victory. Nomination renewal is increasing.

After a meeting of representatives of the eight parties to discuss how to proceed after failing to garner sufficient support in parliament last Thursday (July 13, 2023), Khun Beta said the bloc had accepted his re-nomination.

He also stressed that his re-nomination did not violate any parliamentary rule, with many senators arguing that it violated Rule 41 of the Parliament’s Rules of Procedure. The issue will be discussed today in a meeting of senators and faction leaders called for by Parliament Speaker Wan Muhammad Nur Matha.

Khun Pita said he expected more votes from senators who were absent from the first round of voting. He also denied reports that the multinational movement had approached other parties to join its coalition.

The leader of the cross-functional movement has acknowledged that his position on Article 112 of the Criminal Code, also known as the lese-majeste law, makes his bid for the premiership more difficult, with many senators and some MPs using it as an excuse not to support his candidacy. .

However, he said he had no intention of backing down on his campaign promises just to secure the prime minister’s position.

Khun Pita also stated that he is ready to resign from his post if he does not get the necessary parliamentary support in the second round.

Asked about the MFP’s plan to amend Article 272 of the charter to strip senators of the power to vote for the prime minister, he said it was an initiative of the MFP, not the coalition.

Pheu Thai Phumtham Wichayachai, general secretary, said the seven coalition parties had agreed to give the multi-functional party another chance and that at this point the bloc had no contingency plan in case Khun Pita continued to fail.

Meanwhile, Senate Caucus Leader Somchai Sawangkarn said he will brief Parliament on Article 41, which prohibits reintroduction of a motion rejected by Parliament in the same session.

“If another candidate is nominated, it will be considered as a new application,” he added.

Senator Seri Suanpanont echoed Khun Somchai’s view and said that the re-nomination of Khun Pita as prime minister would lead to intense debate on the item.

Khun Sri urged other political parties that submitted their nominations for prime minister to the Election Commission to nominate and vet their candidates.

Senator Kittisak Rattanawara on Monday (July 17, 2023) said the eight coalition parties have to make a decision and the multinational movement has made it clear that it will not budge on the lese majeste reform.

He called the MFP’s politics divisive and said that under the current political conditions, Pheu Thai should be allowed to form a coalition government without the MFP.

He said the campaign of MLM supporters on social media to pressure senators to vote for Khun Beta will not change their minds, given that many supporters have resorted to online bullying and harassment.

In this regard, political observer Ruangkrai Likitwatana submitted a petition to Khun Wan on Monday, urging him to check whether Khun Pita is qualified for prime minister. Khun Ruangkrai referred to the Election Commission’s decision to seek a ruling from the Constitutional Court on the deputy status of the leader of the MNC. The commission found that Khun Pita owned shares in the media company iTV at the time he registered his candidacy, in violation of Articles 101(6) and 98(3) of the Constitution.

According to Khun Ruangkrai, the alleged breach will disqualify Khun Pita as a candidate for prime minister.

Ahead of the eight-party meeting, MFP Vice President Srikanya Tansakon said the party still hopes to amend Section 272 of the constitution if Khun Pita does not get enough support in the second round tomorrow.

She stressed that it would only take two to three weeks to see the outcome of the MFP’s plan to amend Section 272. She said that if these two efforts fail, the party will step aside and allow Pheu Thai to take the lead in forming a coalition, adding that the party will not go back on its word on the issue. Profession law.