1-7-2023 (BANGKOK) The Move Forward Party (MFP) has reached an agreement with the Pheu Thai Party to step aside and let them take the lead in forming the new government, should MFP leader Pita Limjaroenrat fail to secure enough support from senators in a prime ministerial vote. In return, Pheu Thai will withdraw and let MFP take the House speakership, as the House of Representatives will convene to choose the new speaker and two deputies on Tuesday. The agreement was made between key figures of the two parties at Pheu Thai’s headquarters on Thursday evening.
Under the agreement, Pheu Thai will not compete with MFP for the House speakership and will instead take the positions of the two deputy House speakers. Pheu Thai will support Pita’s bid for prime minister, but if he fails to garner enough support from the senators, he must step aside and let Pheu Thai have its turn at forming a coalition government. The two parties will remain united, and the MFP must not withdraw from the coalition and become the opposition.
Without the MFP, which has 151 MPs, Pheu Thai would have to form an alliance with the outgoing coalition parties, which could ignite demonstrations led by the MFP’s supporters, making it challenging for the new government. Previously, many Pheu Thai MPs had opposed the MFP taking both the House speakership and the prime minister’s position, according to sources from the Bangkok Post.
MFP secretary-general Chaithawat Tulathon said on Friday that both parties would discuss remaining differences formally on Sunday before attending a meeting of the eight prospective coalition parties on the same day. He added that so far, both parties have not yet talked about issues related to the House speakership.
According to Mr. Pita, talks with Pheu Thai were making progress. He stated, “There is only one scenario, as suggested by Mr. Srettha and Pheu Thai leader Dr. Cholnan [Srikaew], that is, we will move on together, and I will become the next prime minister.” Mr. Srettha reaffirmed his support for Mr. Pita’s bid for the premiership.
The agreement marks the first time the two parties have cleared the air after more than a month of deadlocked negotiations. The Secretariat of the House of Representatives has asked all MPs to attend the first House session on July 4, when the selection of the House speaker will take place.
