The party’s closest rival, Pheu Thai, announced on Monday a brand new partnership with one other party, Bhumjaithai, which holds a complete of 212 seats within the lower house of the Thai parliament.
The previous eight-party coalition led by the MFP didn’t secure leader Pita Limjaroenrat’s election as prime minister after he was blocked by junta-appointed senators against his resolve on lese majeste laws.
Last week, Pheu Thai announced that the Progressive Party had been excluded from the coalition, claiming that support for Pita’s bid had disappeared as a result of the MFP’s position on the lese majeste reform.
Leader Chonlanan Srikaew on Monday announced a coalition agreement between his party and Bhumjaithai, a member of the army-backed coalition government elected in controversial 2019 polls.
“We would really like to thank Bhumjaithai for accepting the invitation in order that we are able to break this political deadlock,” he told a press conference.
Chonlanan said Pheu Thai and Bhumjaithai would seek support from other parties to form a government.
“We want all parties to support the Pheu Thai candidate,” he said.
Bhumjaithai’s party, best known for fulfilling a 2019 campaign promise to legalize cannabis in Thailand, has previously insisted it will not be a part of any coalition that included the MFP.
Leader Anutin Charnvirakul said his party partnered with Pheu Thai on three conditions, including rejecting the lese majeste amendment and never forming a minority government.
“Thirdly, if Pheu Thai leads the government, Bhumjaithai’s view is that the Forward Movement Party cannot be part of the government,” he said.
The news sparked a small protest outside Pheu Thai’s headquarters. Protesters threw paper leaflets with photos of the Pheu Thai leader with the words: “WANTED: Chonlanan, what time will you resign?”
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Pheu Thai is seen as a tool of the Shinawatra political clan, whose members include two former prime ministers ousted in military coups in 2006 and 2014.
Last week, Pheu Thai nominated businesswoman Sretta Thavisin because the bloc’s candidate for prime minister, and Chonlanan confirmed on Monday that was still the case.
To turn into prime minister, a candidate should be approved by a majority of each houses of parliament – 500 elected lawmakers and 250 senators elected under the last junta.
In the primary vote in parliament, Pita won 324 votes in each houses, with the support of only 13 senators.
He was disqualified from running within the second round and suspended as an MP by the Constitutional Court over his media ownership, which is prohibited for lawmakers under Thai law.
Last week, the Constitutional Court delayed considering a petition difficult parliament’s decision to not grant Pita a second ballot to turn into prime minister.
Shortly thereafter, Parliament postponed the scheduled vote.
The MFP agreed to affix the opposition, saying it could still influence change though it was not in power.
