Despite being the largest single party in Thailand’s House of Representatives, the Move Forward party has announced that it will work in opposition, after parliament overwhelmingly endorsed the Pheu Thai party’s prime ministerial candidate, Srettha Thavisin, yesterday (Tuesday).

Srettha received 482 votes of approval, against 165 of disapproval and 81 abstentions.

Move Forward’s secretary-general, Chaithawat Tulathon, told the media that the partnership between Pheu Thai and the junta-linked parties, among others, to form the coalition government does not end the political divide, characterized by the red and yellow groups, but is collusion to extend the junta’s political system.

He said that the party will do its utmost to check the performance of the government for the benefit of the people and will coordinate with those outside parliament to effect change in Thai society.

He also assured that the party will perform its role in opposition reasonably and will not oppose everything associated with the government or be bent on toppling it.

Meanwhile, Move Forward party leader Pita Limjaroenrat lamented in his Facebook post yesterday that the party has the people on its side, saying that, in the three months since the general election, the political machine has done everything to stop the party.

He described the partnership between the Pheu Thai party and the two junta-linked parties, Palang Pracharath and United Thai Nation, as “buttoning the wrong buttons”.

He vowed to continue to lead Move Forward as the hope and inspiration of the people.