Pita Limjaroenrat, leader of the Move Forward Party (centre) during a meeting of coalition parties in Bangkok, Thailand, on Monday, May 22, 2023. Thailand's pro-democracy parties signed a pact to form the countrys next government after a historic win in the May 14 election, a step seen crucial to gather support for Move Forwards Pita Limjaroenrat to become prime minister. - Bloomberg
BANGKOK, May 22 (Bloomberg): Thailand’s pro-democracy parties signed a pact to form the country’s next government after a historic win in the May 14 election, a step seen crucial to gather support for Move Forward’s Pita Limjaroenrat to become prime minister.
The coalition of eight parties led by Move Forward agreed that their unified agenda "will not impact the constitutional monarchy,” according to the briefing that began with a readout of the 23 items.
The alliance also pledged to to push for charter amendments, reinstate cannabis in the list of narcotics, make military enlistment mandatory except during times of war. The eight parties also vowed to take steps to revitalize the economy by decentralizing the budget and dismantling monopolies especially in the liquor industry.
The amendment of the lese majeste or the royal insult law, which punishes criticisms against the king and other members of the royal family, was not specifically mentioned in the memorandum of the agreement.
The signing of the agreement comes hours after a lawyer asked the Election Commission earlier on Monday to seek a ruling from the Constitutional Court on whether Move Forward’s call to amend the lese majeste, also known as Article 112, undermines the monarchy.
Move Forward’s pledge to push for amendments to the lese majeste law, also known as Article 112, has emerged as a key dividing line between different political parties as it tries to cobble together a governing majority with a coalition of eight parties that won 313 seats in the 500-member House of Representatives.
While pro-democracy parties won the election, they face built-in obstacles as the constitution - approved following a military coup in 2014 - allows the unelected 250-member Senate to vote alongside the lower house to pick a new leader. That means Pita’s coalition still falls short of the 376 votes he needs in parliament to become prime minister without counting on Senate support.
Pita’s bid to take the top job has faced opposition from many members of the Senate, stacked with allies of the pro-military establishment of caretaker Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-Ocha and other conservative parties. The Bhumjaithai Party, which finished third with 70 seats, already ruled out support for Pita as prime minister, saying it won’t back a candidate from a party planning to amend Article 112.
The conservative Democrat Party has not begun a discussion on its stance on Pita’s bid to become prime minister but it disagrees with amending the law against royal insults, party spokesman Ramate Rattanachaweng said Monday.
Under Thai law, the Election Commission has 60 days after the vote to release official election results and certify 95% of the lower house seats. The first session of the new parliament must then take place within 15 days. That pushes the timeline to late July.
Move Forward’s secretary-general, Chaithawat Tulathon, said over the weekend that he was confident the party could win over some senators, anticipating then that the pact signed Monday will sway members of the Senate to vote for Pita.
The push to directly change laws affecting the monarchy breaks a longstanding taboo in Thailand, where in years past even the suggestion of disloyalty to the palace has been grounds for the military to stage a coup, leading to successive bouts of deadly street protests that have held back Southeast Asia’s second-biggest economy. - Bloomberg
