With Pheu Thai in the lead, Move Forward is now the pariah party

Leaders of the Democrat and Chart Thai Pattana parties, and a key figure in the outgoing ruling Palang Pracharath Party, made the views of their parties crystal clear, as the Pheu Thai Party took the lead from the Move Forward Party in their coalition’s attempt to form a new government.

Chart Thai Pattana would be pleased to vote for Pheu Thai’s candidate to be Thailand’s 30th prime minister at the next parliamentary vote on July 27, the party’s leader, Varawut Silpa-archa, said.

He added a condition, however. His party will not support Pheu Thai if it works with any political party that has pledged to amend Article 112 of the Penal Code, which covers lese majeste.

“The Move Forward Party has a clear policy about this. Chart Thai Pattana’s standpoint is not to amend Article 112,” Varawut said.

Varawut, who is the outgoing minister of natural resources and the environment, said that his party had not yet been approached by Pheu Thai to join its coalition. “We just want to stress that if there is no amendment to Article 112, Chart Thai Pattana is ready to give our support,” he said.

Move Forward’s unwavering pledge to amend the lese majeste law was the main reason many senators and MPs cited for refusing to vote for the party’s prime ministerial candidate Pita Limjaroenrat.

Democrat leader Jurin Laksanawisit said on Friday that the party had made it clear that it would not work with any party seeking to amend Article 112.

The Democrats will have a discussion before the party decides whether or not to join a Pheu Thai-led coalition government.

Pai Leeke, an MP and key figure of the Palang Pracharath Party, was equally adamant.

The party has been “clear all along” that it would not support any attempt to amend Article 112.

“We will not form a government with a party that has a policy of amending Article 112 of the Criminal Code,” he said.