Follow Thai politics in English — government policy, elections, parliament and political developments, with reporting and analysis from Thai PBS World.
The Bhumjaithai party announced today that it now has 146 MPs supporting Anutin Charnvirakul’s candidature as the next prime minister, as well as the promised support from the People’s party’s 143.
Bhumjaithai Party leader Anutin Charnvirakul declared this morning he is pressing ahead in forming a new coalition government despite the move by acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai to have the House of Representatives dissolved.
Government and opposition whips are scheduled to meet at 3pm this afternoon to set the date for the vote to select a new interim prime minister, who will be in the office for just four months to prepare for a snap general election and to hold a referendum on the drafting of a new Constitution.
Anutin Charnvirakul, leader of the Bhumjaithai Party, is tipped to become the next prime minister of Thailand after the People’s Party announced this morning that its 143 MPs will support his candidacy to replace Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who was ousted by the Constitutional Court last week.
People’s Party executive board will meet tomorrow to finalise which candidate its 143 MPs will support as Thailand’s next prime minister.
Interim Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai maintained his insistence today that he has the authority to ask His Majesty the King to dissolve parliament, but said that, for now, the focus is on forming alliances in preparation for the parliamentary vote to select the new prime minister.
The ruling Pheu Thai party was told today, by the opposition People's party, to go ahead with House dissolution without waiting for the party’s hoped-for support for its prime ministerial candidate.
Well-known political activist Sonthiya Sawasdee submitted a petition to the Election Commission (EC) today, seeking an investigation into the ruling Pheu Thai and opposition People parties for allegedly allowing two outsiders, former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, to dominate them as the Pheu Thai attempts to form a new coalition government.
The vote by the House of Representative for Thailand’s next prime minister is expected over September 4th and 5th, after Paetongtarn Shinawatra was removed from office by the Constitutional Court last Friday.
People's party leader Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut said today that he is unsure whether the party will reach a decision today over supporting the Pheu Thai or Bhumjaithai prime ministerial candidates in the House of Representatives.
Democrat party leader Chalermchai Srion said Sunday night that they have not yet decided to partner with the Pheu Thai party in the formation of a new government coalition.
Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, leader of the Progressive movement, and reputedly the de facto leader of the People party, admitted that he had met with former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra for a discussion about support for Pheu Thai’s prime ministerial candidate, Chaikasem Nitisiri.
