Driving the military out of politics is Move Forward’s priority, Pita says
Forming a new government that ends the military’s grip on politics is more important than becoming Thailand’s next prime minister, Move Forward Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat said in a video posted on Facebook on Friday.
He made the statement after his party stepped aside so that its largest coalition partner, the Pheu Thai Party, could lead the formation of the next government.
“It is clear that all organisms of the conservative side will not let us lead the new government. They use the issue of amending Article 112 as an excuse,” Pita said, referring to the lese majeste law.
“However, the fact that I could not become the prime minister does mean that our hope to change the country will end. The most important mission is not me gaining the premiership, but to form a new government that stops the succession of power from the former government,” he said.
“It’s not important whether or not I become the new PM, or whether Move Forward leads the government coalition. The most important thing is that the 27 million votes that Move Forward received in the general election must mean something,” he added.
A majority of lawmakers in a joint session of the House of Representatives and the Senate on Wednesday voted that Pita – the sole prime ministerial candidate of Move Forward – could not be renominated for a vote to become PM, saying it violates parliamentary regulation No 41.
The regulation forbids the resubmission of a motion that has already failed to pass.
Pita failed in his first bid to be elected prime minister by the Parliament on July 13, receiving just 324 votes from MPs and senators. He needed 375 votes.
The Move Forward Party will support Pheu Thai, which won the second highest number of MP seats in the May 14 election, to form a government for the people, Pita said.
“As long as we hold our hands tightly, the succession of power from the former government will never succeed,” he said, referring to the coalition led by outgoing Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha who first seized power in a coup in 2014.
“Please do not lose hope. Thailand has progressed so far and will not take a step back. We will not let [the junta] take our country back,” he added.
Pita and Move Forward MPs will visit the eastern provinces of Chonburi, Rayong, and Chanthaburi to thank voters for their support during the May 14 general election, a source said.
On Saturday afternoon, Pita and his team will visit Jomtien beach in Pattaya and then Robinson Lifestyle Bowin mall in the evening. At night he will travel to the Ozone Market in Rayong to participate in the Progressive Liquor Fair.
On Sunday, the Move Forward MPs will visit Chanthaburi and Rayong provinces.
Move Forward won all five MP seats in Rayong and all three MP seats in Chanthaburi in the May 14 election. It won seven of 10 seats in Chonburi.
Move Forward also received the most votes for party-list MPs in the three provinces: more than 420,000 in Chonburi, 230,000 votes in Rayong and 140,000 votes in Chanthaburi.
It won the most seats nationwide in the May 14 election.
