Pheu Thai – the main rival of the Move Forward Party, which won the most seats in May – has teamed up with Bhumjaithai, part of an army-backed coalition elected in controversial 2019 polls, to ‘step over political deadlock’.
Property tycoon Srettha Thavisin will be put forward as PM candidate by Pheu Thai party – seen as a vehicle for the Shinawatra political clan – which announced reformist MFP’s exclusion from the group trying to form the next government.
Thailand’s parliament barred Pita Limjaroenrat from running for PM, keeping the leader of the party that won the May election from heading the government.
The move comes as a fresh blow to Move Forward Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat’s hopes of becoming the next Thai prime minister. Lawmakers are forbidden from owning shares in media companies under the kingdom’s constitution.
In today’s session, the second since the National Assembly met, the progressive leader fell short of a majority for a second time. He now has 15 days to convince the Constitutional Court to reinstate him as a member of the House of Representatives. The main stumbling block for opposition parties is the election platform of the Move Forward party.