The opposition Pheu Thai party has set a target to win as many as 251 parliamentary seats in the next general election.
Party leader Chonlanan Srikaew said at the party’s general assembly, held today (Sunday) on the theme of “Landslide Pheu Thai for every Thai Citizen”, that the only way for the party to form the next government is to win a landslide victory.
Chaikasem Nitisiri, former justice minister and a core member of the party, said that, although the Pheu Thai party won more seats in the House than any other single party in the last general election, it was unable to form a government due to a restriction in the Constitution.
Under the current Constitution, there are 500 House seats, divided into 400 constituency seats and 100 party-list seats and 250 Senate seats. To be able to form a government, the winning party must have at least 376 seats, which means it must have the support of the senators.
To remove this restriction, he said that, after a landslide victory, the party will amend the Constitution.
Meanwhile, former deputy prime minister and former leader of the Thai Rak Thai party, a predecessor of the Pheu Thai party, Chaturon Chaisang, blamed all the crises facing the country today to on the coup in 2006, which toppled the government of then prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
Chart Thai Pattana party leader Kanchana Silpa-archa
Chart Thai Pattana party leader Kanchana Silpa-archa, meanwhile, announced at the party’s general assembly today that they are in the process of bringing a new-generation of members into the party.
She said that the new generation of politicians will be the flag bearers who will take the lead with the support of the veterans.
She also said that the party will not merge with another party and will uphold the three pillars of Thailand’s constitutional democracy, which are the Nation, the Religion and the Monarchy.
She added that she is confident that the party will be able to win at least 25 seats in parliament, compared to 12 seats in the last general election.
