Several cafés in Thailand have stopped selling mint-chocolate drinks, after the Pheu Thai party met with Bhumjaithai, the United Thai Nation, Chart Pattana Kla and Chartthaipattana parties over the past weekend, to woo them into supporting its prime ministerial candidate and forming a government.
Mint-chocolate drinks became widely popular after one of Pheu Thai’s prime ministerial candidates, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, stated that it is her favourite drink. Since then, the drink became symbolic of the party and is often served to welcome members of other political parties whenever they visit its headquarters.
One of the cafes which stopped selling the drink called it a “betray-your-friend-menu”. Some of them also announced that customers’ orders for the drink will be automatically cancelled on delivery apps, while some cafes went as far as announcing that they will only sell iced Americano and orange juice, a drink symbolic of the Move Forward party and Pita Limjaroenrat’s favourite drink.
Even though the Move Forward party, which formed an eight-party-coalition, announced that they will allow Pheu Thai party to take the lead in forming a government and formally nominate its prime ministerial candidate, Pheu Thai’s recent meetings with political parties from the conservative wing is widely seen as a betrayal of the Move Forward party.
Most of the parties, such as Bhumjaithai and the United Thai Nation, have made clear that they cannot support a coalition government nor a prime ministerial candidate which insists on amending the lèse majesté law.
Meanwhile, Pita Limjaroenrat announced during his rally in Pattaya on Saturday, that the party will not tolerate beingkicked out of the coalition and that the results during the joint sittings of the House and Senate and the Charter Court’s decision to suspend him from MP duties disrespects the people’s vote.
The next joint sitting of the House and Senate to vote on the next prime minister is scheduled for July 27th.
