Move Forward deputy leader Sirikanya Tansakun speaking to the media on Saturday (July 8, 2023). - The Nation Thailand/ANN
BANGKOK (The Nation Thailand/ANN): A key figure in the Move Forward Party, which is leading an eight-party coalition that expects to form the next government, claimed on Friday to have secured sufficient senator votes for the party’s leader Pita Limjaroenrat to become Thailand’s new prime minister.
Move Forward deputy leader Sirikanya Tansakun said that she believed the parliamentary vote to select the prime minister, scheduled for next Thursday (July 13) would see Pita getting enough support in the first round.
“We have enough votes. But we are still working on it [to get more support] in case some senators change their minds. We don’t know for sure what will happen during the voting,” Sirikanya said.
She was speaking at the party’s headquarters in Bangkok.
Pita enjoys the support of 312 MPs in the coalition led by Move Forward, which won the largest number of 151 MP seats in the May 14 general election. But he still needs at least 64 more votes of support to become prime minister.
A provisional clause in the Constitution allows the 250-member Senate to join the 500-member House of Representatives in electing the prime minister. Anyone nominated for the PM seat requires majority support from both Houses, which is 376.
Move Forward is seeking support from senators as Pita is unlikely to get votes from MPs outside of his coalition.
When asked to comment on media reports that fewer than 10 senators would vote for Pita, Sirikanya said on Friday that her party’s existing information “does not indicate that”.
“We are confident that on July 13 Pita will get enough votes from senators in the first round of voting,” she said.
When asked what they would do if Pita failed to get sufficient votes in the first round, Sirikanya said the coalition partners were yet to discuss this matter.
She also dismissed rumours that Move Forward was offering money in exchange for senator votes, saying, “That’s not true. We do not resort to that thing.”
Sirikanya on Friday called on senators to adhere to the democratic principle and respect “the voters’ mandate” by supporting the coalition that controls the House majority to form the government.
“Stick to this easy principle to allow Thailand to move on. Give Thailand the chance to move forward,” she said.
