The Move Forward party has agreed unanimously not to vote for Pheu Thai party’s prime ministerial candidate during the joint sitting of parliament.
The party will decide later whether to vote against Pheu Thai’s candidate or to abstain.
The resolution was adopted at a meeting of the party’s MPs today (Tuesday) at the party’s head office.
Speaking at a press conference after the meeting, Chaithawat Tulathon, the party’s secretary-general, cited three reasons why they decided against supporting the Pheu Thai candidate Srettha Thavisin.
First, the Pheu Thai-led coalition comprises many parties from the Prayut administration, which goes against the will of the people as manifested in the May 14th general election, said Chaithawat.
Second, voting in support of the Pheu Thai party’s candidate is not an attempt to do away with the senators’ power in the selection of the prime minister, but an attempt to do away with the Move Forward party.
Third, it is apparent that the new cabinet will not be much different from the current one and that the formation of the new government will not reflect the aspirations of the people, said Chaithawat.
He stressed that the party’s decision today is strictly based on the party’s political principles and the pledge that it gave to the people during the election campaign. It is not based on the qualifications of the prime ministerial candidate.
He maintained the party decision not to support Pheu Thai’s candidate is not a betrayal of the Pheu Thai party, which voted in support of Move Forward’s prime ministerial candidate, Pita Limjaroenrat, in the first vote on the selection of the prime minister in July.
Chaithawat also said that its MPs have received feedback from people in their constituencies, indicating that they do not want a government which is made up of parties in the Prayut administration.
He disclosed that the party has not been in contact with Paetongtarn Shinawatra, head of Pheu Thai “Family”, after their recent meeting last week, when core members of Pheu Thai sought support from Move Forward.
He went on to say, however, that, if there is a change in the political situation, the two parties can resume communications or, if there are any issues of public interest, they can cooperate.
