The Pheu Thai Party formally announced this afternoon that it will nominate property tycoon Srettha Thavisin as its PM candidate when the next joint sitting of parliament takes place this Friday.
Pheu Thai will form a coalition without Move Forward Party after MFP refused to withdraw their election pledge to amend the fractious lese majeste laws, aka. Article 112 of the Thai Criminal Code.
It is likely that both BhumJai Thai and the Palang Pracharat parties – both formerpolitical foes of Pheu Thai – will join the new coalition. Move Forward Party will move to the opposition benches with it’s 116 MPs.
The new coalition sweeps aside the wishes of 38% of Thai voters who voted for the Move Forward party and its leader Pita Limjareonrat in the May 14 election.
It is predicted by many political pundits that the new coalition, with Srettha Thavisin as the nominated PM, is likely to get the nod on Friday with enough Senators in support to gain a majority in the joint parliamentary sitting. This will end 11 weeks of negotiations when the party, winning the highest number of primary votes, was unable to form a politically palatable coalition.
