21-7-2023 (BANGKOK) The Move Forward party, which emerged victorious in Thailand’s elections, has decided to let its alliance partner, the Pheu Thai party, take the lead in forming the government. This decision came after the prime ministerial candidate from the Move Forward party failed to secure the backing of parliament, as stated by a senior official on Friday (Jul 21).
In a press conference, Chaithawat Tulathon, the secretary of the Move Forward party, announced that they would fully support any candidate put forward by the Pheu Thai party for the position of prime minister in the upcoming parliamentary vote on Jul 27.
Initially, the eight-party alliance had rallied behind Pita Limjaroenrat, the 42-year-old leader of the Move Forward party, for the role of prime minister. However, he was unable to garner the necessary support from the bicameral parliament on Jul 13. His subsequent re-nomination six days later also faced resistance from lawmakers.
Presently, the Move Forward party holds 151 seats in the 500-member lower house, while the Pheu Thai party has 141 seats. For the alliance to form the government, it requires the backing of more than half of the combined chambers, including the upper house Senate appointed by the military, which had thwarted Pita’s bid.
The liberal Move Forward party’s victory in the May elections marked a significant shift, with the electorate rejecting nearly nine years of military-backed governments. Their progressive policies, which include measures to end business monopolies and amend the country’s controversial royal insults law, have been met with resistance from Thailand’s powerful royalist military and old money elites.
