27-6-2023 (BANGKOK) Pita Limjaroenrat, the prominent prime ministerial candidate in Thailand, expressed his confidence on Tuesday that he has garnered enough support in the upper house to become the country’s next prime minister. His assertion comes just days before the inaugural session of the new parliament.
As the leader of the progressive Move Forward Party, Pita faces a challenging path to the premiership, despite his party’s remarkable victory in the May elections, which saw the Thai population rejecting nearly nine years of military-backed government.
Pita’s alliance, comprised of eight parties, holds a total of 312 seats in parliament. However, according to the constitution, in order to assume the role of prime minister, Pita would need a minimum of 376 votes in a joint sitting of the bicameral legislature, which includes the 250-member upper house. Most of the members of the upper house were appointed by the military when it seized power in 2014.
When asked about the level of support he had secured from the Senate, Pita confidently replied, “Enough for me to become prime minister.” However, doubts have persisted regarding Pita’s level of support due to his party’s controversial proposal to amend Thailand’s strict royal insult law, known as lese majeste. Move Forward Party argues that the law, which carries a sentence of up to 15 years in prison for perceived offenses against the monarchy, is being used as a political tool to suppress opponents of the current government.
This stance has created tension with the country’s royalist establishment and conservative-leaning Senate, which includes members of the old-money elite. Pita stated that his party was in the process of explaining its position to senators in preparation for the parliamentary vote in July.
Pita emphasized that amending the law to align with the context of society would not impede the formation of a new government. He expressed optimism that government formation and the amendment of the law could coexist.
Parliament is scheduled to convene on July 3, with the vote for the prime minister expected to take place on July 13.
