Prawit targets ‘at least 70 seats’ as PPRP seeks to derail Pheu Thai poll hopes
The Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) is seeking to win at least 70 constituency MP seats in the May 14 election, Deputy PM and party leader General Prawit Wongsuwan said on Sunday.
Speaking to The Nation, Prawit said PPRP’s strength lies in its economic team of experts, led by former finance minister Uttama Savanayana.
“Many of the current government’s policies, especially those that have improved people’s quality of life, were initiated by Uttama,” Prawit said.
“PPRP will restore these policies immediately if it is elected to government,” he added. PPRP led the coalition government formed after the previous election in 2019.
Uttama, a former PPRP leader, rejoined the party earlier this year after quitting in 2020 over factional tensions within the party. Prawit welcomed him back with open arms and promptly put him in charge of PPRP economic affairs.
Prawit added that the target of 70 MPs could be exceeded as some polls have predicted PPRP could gain up to 100 seats.
PPRP is expected to perform strongly in the provinces of Phetchabun, Kamphaeng Phet, Phayao, Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon, and Sa Kaew.
Thai voters will elect 400 new constituency MPs and 100 party-list MPs on May 14, to form a new government and opposition.
PPRP faces a formidable rival in the Pheu Thai Party, which is targeting 310 out of the 500 House seats so it can form a single-party government.
Paetongtarn Shinawatra is among Pheu Thai politicians who are urging voters to hand the party a landslide win to neutralise the 250 junta-appointed senators, who will join the parliamentary vote to select Thailand’s next premier.
