Pheu Thai party deputy leader Phumtham Wechayachai is confident that the selection of the prime minister, with Srettha Thavisin as the party’s candidate, will be over in just one parliamentary joint sitting.

He also said that the allocation of cabinet seats among coalition parties is secondary to the selection of the prime minister, which must be resolved first, adding that, once the prime minister is selected between August 18 and 22, the coalition parties will meet immediately to discuss the allocation of ministerial posts.

Regarding the prospect of the Palang Pracharath joining the Pheu Thai-led coalition, Phumtham said that this issue is not as important as the mutual understanding of the two parties of the need to have a government formed without further delay.

He said the Pheu Thai party welcomes the announcement by a group of Palang Pracharath MPs that they will vote in support of Pheu Thai party’s prime ministerial candidate unconditionally.

The Palang Pracharath party, led by General Prawit Wongsuwan, and the United Thai Nation party have not yet been invited to join the coalition.

Phumtham said the Pheu Thai party has volunteered to take a new political direction, to ease the political polarisation which has beset the country for almost two decades and to promote cooperation among all parties in addressing the country’s pressing problems, adding that the party is ready to be held accountable if it fails in this endeavour.

The Pheu Thai deputy leader reaffirmed that the party would not go back to join hands with the Move Forward party, because the Move Forward path will “lead to a dead end”.

Regarding a report that some senators want Srettha to deliver a vision speech during the selection of the prime minister, Phumtham said there are rules and traditional practices that should be applied in this case, adding that the party will comply if it is so wished by parliament.

He dismissed as a conjecture that Srettha will not be selected and, ultimately, Pheu Thai may have to nominate Paetongtarn as its prime ministerial candidate.

He said he is confident Srettha will receive more votes from the senators than Pita.