High possibility of PPRP joining Pheu Thai coalition: Thammanat
A close aide of Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) leader is not ruling out the possibility of the ruling party forming a coalition with the opposition Pheu Thai Party.
Thammanat Prompow, a former PPRP secretary-general who is often referred to as Deputy PM Prawit Wongsuwan’s lieutenant, said on Sunday that nothing is certain in politics and what appears impossible can be possible.
He was responding to reporters’ questions as to whether there is any chance the ruling party will become part of a coalition with opposition leader Pheu Thai after the next general election.
Thammanat said the outcome would depend on how many seats Pheu Thai, PPRP and other parties win in the election, which is tentatively scheduled for May 7 if there is no House dissolution.
Thammanat and 20 other former PPRP MPs were expelled early last year for allegedly conspiring against Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha. They later joined the Thai Economic Party.
After Prayut joined the United Thai Nation Party and announced his plan to become its PM candidate, Thammanat and his cohorts rushed back to PPRP last week.
Thammanat and his faction managed to retain their House seats by using the tactic of getting expelled from the last party to rejoin PPRP.
As to whether Prawit has a chance of becoming the next PM, Thammanat said chances were high because PPRP will definitely capture more than 25 House seats.
According to the Constitution, parties are required to win at least 25 House seats before they can nominate a PM candidate to contend for the country’s top post.
The candidate will have to win the support of more than half of both Houses of Parliament to win the PM’s seat.
The Pheu Thai-led coalition government was toppled in a coup led by Prayut in 2014. Though Prawit joined Prayut’s Cabinet later, he is believed to have close ties with fugitive former PM Thaksin Shinawatra. Prawit apparently became Army chief in 2004 thanks to Thaksin’s support.
