Hundreds of Bangkok residents have responded to a call from prospective PM Pita Limjaroenrat to come together in a show of support for his bid to become the next Thai prime minister. The Move Forward leader had posted on Facebook, urging supporters to fill the grounds of Central World yesterday, July 10, to show their support ahead of the PM vote taking place later this week (on Thursday).
His supporters responded in the low thousands, many dressed in orange (the colour of Move Forward), and braving the Bangkok rain to gather at CentralWorld from 4.30pm yesterday. Through their presence, supporters were hoping to “warn” MPs and senators not to ignore the will of the people when it comes to Thursday’s PM vote.
Pita needs 376 votes if he is to be elected the 30th prime minister of Thailand. The 8 party Move Forward-led coalition has 312 MPs between them, meaning he needs to secure an extra 64 votes from outside the coalition – either other MPs or members of the Senate.
If he fails to get all those votes from parties outside the coalition, he will be relying on junta-appointed senators. Several senators have already stated they will not vote for him because of his party’s pledge to reform Thailand’s lèse-majesté law, which prohibits criticism of the monarchy.
The leader of the Progressive Movement, Pannika Wanich, was also in attendance and posed for photos with supporters, according to a Nation Thailand report. The Progressive Movement is led by former executives from the Future Forward Party. That party was dissolved in 2020, with former MPs going on to form the Move Forward Party.
SOURCE: Nation Thailand
