The Move Forward party has asked Thai Liberal leader Sereepisuth Temiyavet to contact the Chartthaipattana party, to convince its MPs to vote in favour of its leader, Pita Limjaroenrat, as the next prime minister.
Move Forward also offered Chartthaipattana a part in the coalition government, said Varawut Silpa-archa, Chartthaipattana’s leader, today (Monday).
Sereepisuth contacted Varawut on Sunday, claiming Move Forward asked him to act on its behalf, Varawut said. Sereepisuth was informed that Varawut could not decide on his own concerning the change of votes. “I have to consult the party’s administration and will call him back,” Varawut said.
Varawut Silpa-archa
Sereepisuth Temiyavet
In Pita’s first nomination vote, Varawut’s party, with ten MPs, did not support Pita’s prime ministerial candidacy, due to its opposition to Move Forward’s stance on amendment of the lèse-majesté law.
Varawut insisted today that his party’s position against the amendment remains, answering in the positive when asked whether the contact is also an invitation to join Pita’s government. He said he asked Sereepisuth whether the invitation is from Sereepisuth himself or from the coalition bloc. Sereepisuth said Move F orward asked him to establish contact.
A joint sitting of parliament will convene again this Wednesday to consider the re-nomination of Pita.
Meanwhile some Thai media reported that Move Forward’s core members, including Pita, contacted senior members of the present government over the weekend, as well as some senators, to seek support for the re-nomination of Pita as the next prime minister.
Joining Pita was his party’s secretary general Chaithawat Tulathon. They also telephoned senators who voted against or abstained in the vote on July 13th.
Pita’s first attempt failed when he did not get enough parliamentary votes. In a joint sitting of 500 MPs and 250 senators, Pita received just 324 of the 375 votes required. Of the lawmakers present, 182 voted against him and 199 abstained.
Pita is seeking re-nomination on July 19 and his reported contacts with the MPs and the senators are seen as an attempt to change last Thursday’s outcome.
The Thai media reported that their approaches were more friendly and softer. Some were reportedly surprised that Pita contacted them personally.
The main reason that the senators did not support Pita’s nomination is his party’s insistence on amending the lèse majesté law. Pita and his party have not backed down from pushing the amendment, despite being strongly criticised by senators and some sections of the public.
