July 7, 2023
BANGKOK – The United Thai Nation Party has not ruled out the possibility of the party joining forces with members of the outgoing coalition to contest for the post of prime minister, a deputy leader of the party said on Thursday.
Outgoing government spokesman Anucha Burapachaisri said he would know about the party’s stand in contesting for the post of prime minister after the party holds its weekly meeting on July 11.
“We must first hold a meeting on July 11. We will analyse the on-going political situation and we should have a conclusion on the political direction on that day,” Anucha said.
Newly elected House speaker and Parliament President Wan Muhamad Noor Matha has scheduled a joint sitting of MPs and senators on July 13 to elect the 30th prime minister of Thailand.
The eight-party coalition bidding to form the next government is nominating Move Forward leader Pita Limjaroenrat as their prime minister candidate.
Asked whether the UTNP would nominate outgoing Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha to contest against Pita, Anucha said he would have to wait until the party holds a meeting of its MPs on July 12 before he could know the party decision.
Article 272, which is a provisional clause of the Constitution, requires the prime minister be elected by at least half of both lower and upper chambers of Parliament during the first five years of the enforcement of the charter. This would be the last year for the provisional clause to be in effect.
As a result, Pita would need the support of up to 64 senators or MPs of other parties as his coalition commands 312 MPs.
The provisional clause is seen as designed to help former coup leader, Gen Prayut, to be elected the prime minister during the first five years after the charter was enacted.
Theoretically, the former coalition of Prayut with 188 MPs could still win the PM contest with support from 250 senators as they would command 438 votes.
But political observers have warned that this scenario would lead to strong protests by Move Forward and Pheu Thai protesters and the government would become a lame-duck administration as it would lack the majority in the House to enact laws to run the country.