August 23, 2023
BANGKOK – After failing to form the next government despite emerging as the single-largest party in the House of Representatives, the Move Forward Party said that it would do its best in its role as the opposition.
After the joint session of lower and upper Houses on Tuesday elected the Pheu Thai-led coalition’s PM candidate Srettha Thavisin as the country’s 30th premier, Move Forward secretary-general Chaitawat Tulathon told reporters that his party would make every effort to monitor the performance of the executive.
Chaitawat said that the party would continue pushing progressive laws, including amendment of the lese majeste law, through both parliamentary and non-parliamentary approaches to bring about changes in society
“Move Forward would resolutely stand for the people, with the conviction that one day the power of the people would usher in a new future for Thailand,” he said. “We will have true democracy one day.”
When asked about the party taking the leader of the opposition role, he said that he hoped the Constitutional Court would rule quickly on Pita’s shareholding case.
The Constitution stipulates that the leader of the party with the most number of MPs, who must also be a member of Parliament, will serve as the leader of the opposition. However, Move Forward Leader Pita Limjaroenrat currently stands suspended from performing his duties as an MP.
Chaitawat added that he had not talked yet with other parties on the opposition side.
Meanwhile, Pita said on his Instagram after the PM election that the Pheu Thai-led government could not create change in the society and it was against the people’s consensus.
“Move Forward does not have anyone, but the people,” he said.
“We would work hard in the best interests of the people and would never betray the trust vested in us by the people,” he added.