The Palang Pracharat party leader today received a letter of intent, signed by 11 smaller and lesser known parties, vowing to join the Palang Pracharat-led coalition and to support General Prayut Chan-o-cha’s prime ministerial nomination.

Thanking the 11 parties for their unconditional support, party leader Uttama Savanayana said that the 11 parties had not made any demand for cabinet seats and their support was unconditional.

The support for the Palang Pracharat-led alliance was confirmed by Mr. Samphan Lertnuwat, leader of the Polamuang Thai party saying “We are pleased to support whatever we think will benefit the country.  There is no demand for positions”.

Earlier today, Mr. Samphan told a press conference that the group decided to support the Palang Pracharat party because they wanted the new government to be set up as soon as possible, adding that the people, especially the poor, would stand to lose the most if formation of the government is further delayed.

The 11 parties are:

Polamuang Thai

Palang Chart Thai

Prachaniyom

Prachapiwat

Palang Thai Rak Thai

Khru Thai Pheu Prachachon

Prachatham Thai

Prachatippatai Mai

Palangdham Mai

Thai Sriwalai

Thai Rak Tham

None of these parties won a single constituency seat but were each awarded a party-list seat by the Election Commission last week through its controversial calculation method, which is criticized as distorting the mixed member proportional representation system.

All the 11 parties received less than 71,000 votes each in the March 24th general election.