Wiroj upbeat Move Forward MPs will join new party to retain seats
Despite the party’s dissolution, MP is confident none of his fellow lawmakers will defect for financial or political incentives
Wiroj Lakana-adisorn, a party-list MP of the now-dissolved Move Forward Party, said he was confident the 142 MFP MPs would follow him to the new party set up for them to retain their House seats.
He added that none of the Move Forward MPs would bolt even if some coalition partners offered them money and political posts.
Move Forward was dissolved by the Constitutional Court on Wednesday because the court found it guilty of seeking to overturn the country’s constitutional monarchy and being hostile to the monarchy.
The party had 148 MPs, but five lost their MP status immediately as they were among the 11 executives who were banned from holding a political post for 10 years.
The remaining 143 MPs have 60 days to find a new party to retain their House seats.
Wiroj said nobody will seek a definite commitment from the 143 remaining MPs because they have all discussed the matter among themselves and can be trusted to walk the same path to the same party.
“I’m still not sure what the new party will be called, but I can affirm that all of us will join the new ‘house’ together,” he said.
Wiroj added that none of the Move Forward MPs would betray the trust of the people that had been expressed through the 14 million votes the party had won in the general election last year.
As for those who tried to “buy” MFP MPs, he said they have given up after their offer won no response.
He admitted that setting up a new party was Move Forward’s contingency plan from the very beginning, so it will not take much time for the new party to be formed.
Wiroj also expressed confidence that Sirikanya Tansakun would make a good party leader even though she may not match Pita Limjaroenrat who led the MFP to win the general election last year.
However, he said, Sirikanya has her own special characteristics that will benefit the party.
He added that the reincarnation of Move Forward will also run in the Phitsanulok by-election held to fill the seat left vacant by Padipat Suntiphada, who was among the 11 party executives banned from politics.
