Pheu Thai leader wary of Prawit’s possible nomination to be PM

If General Prawit is nominated to contest with a candidate from the eight-party coalition led by the Move Forward Party, he could gain majority support comprising 188 votes from MPs outside of the coalition and most of the 250 senators.

Cholnan said Pheu Thai and Move Forward needed to agree on the coalition’s candidate for the next round of parliamentary voting.

Should they fail to reach an agreement, the coalition could “fall into the trap and lose” if parties outside the coalition jointly nominate a candidate for PM, he warned.

The political veteran was speaking ahead of an expected meeting between Pheu Thai and Move Forward later on Friday to discuss their next moves to elect a prime minister.

According to a soon-to-expire clause in the Constitution, a PM candidate subject to a parliamentary vote requires majority support from both Houses – or at least 376 votes from 500 MPs and 250 senators gathering for a joint session.

In the first round of voting on Thursday, Move Forward leader Pita Limjaroenrat, its sole candidate to be Thailand’s next prime minister, failed to secure majority support. He received 324 votes for and 182 votes against, with 199 abstentions.

Prawit, who is a deputy prime minister in the caretaker government, was rumoured to have reached a deal with Pheu Thai’s patriarch, former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, to become the next prime minister.

Cholnan also said on Friday that Pheu Thai still recognised Move Forward’s right to nominate its PM candidate in the next round of parliamentary voting. However, he admitted that it was “not easy” for Pita to get sufficient support, particularly from senators.

During the debate before Thursday’s vote, the only candidate nominated was grilled by senators and MPs who pointed to Move Forward’s plan to amend Article 112 of the Penal Code involving lese majeste, which they argued would undermine Thailand’s monarchy and the country's stability.

The Pheu Thai leader said he and his party’s members would continue to “do our utmost” to support Pita to become the next prime minister, even if the PM hopeful failed again in the second round of voting.

However, Cholnan added that in doing its utmost, Pheu Thai should not make the public suffer or cause damage to the country.

When asked if it was time for Pheu Thai, the coalition’s second-largest partner, to attempt to form the next government, Cholnan said the eight-party coalition did not want to shatter people’s hope for the “democratic camp” to form their administration.

He was asked to comment on a suggestion from Piyabutr Saengkanokkul, who is regarded as Move Forward’s “spiritual leader”, that the party should better lead the opposition camp. Cholnan responded that it was up to Move Forward to decide its future.

“Pheu Thai has no plan to become an opposition party. Our supporters voted for us to become a government, not the opposition,” he said.

Cholnan also voiced confidence that the vote to select the next prime minister would not be futile.

“The country must have a prime minister and a government. I believe all parties involved will not close this opportunity for the country and the people,” he said.