Parties in the ruling coalition

On May 21, a senior official of the March Forward Party (MFP) - the party that won the most seats in the recent general election in Thailand - said that the parties in the potential ruling coalition have yet to agree on the terms of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the format of forming a new government , expected to be announced by MFP leader Pita Limjaroenrat on May 22.

MFP Secretary-General Chaithawat Tulanon said the MoU will include the agenda not only of the MFP but also of other parties in the potential coalition, including peacemaking in Thailand's three southern border provinces.

Mr. Chaithawat admitted that the parties still have different views and the MFP has planned to meet separately with representatives of each party in the potential coalition to agree on the terms of this MoU.

Besides, he also reiterated that MFP and seven other parties - including Pheu Thai, Thai Sang Thai, Thai Liberal, Prachachart, Fair, Plung Sungkom Mai and Peu Thai Ruamphalang - have planned to form the next government with 313 House of Representatives members.

The MFP will need at least 376 votes – a majority of the 500 new House members and 250 military-appointed senators – in Parliament for leader Pita to become the next prime minister. Mr Chaithawat said the MFP was trying to convince some senators to support Mr Pita, adding that many senators had sought details of the MoU ahead of the scheduled press conference on 22 May.

In another development, former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra denied speculation that he would meet with representatives of the previous government's parties in Hong Kong (China). On his personal Twitter account, Mr. Thaksin wrote that he was still in Dubai (United Arab Emirates) and denied any plans to go to Hong Kong.

Mr. Thaksin made the above tweet after the leader of the Thai Pride (Bhumjaithai) Party, Anutin Charnvirakul, posted that his family was on vacation in Hong Kong. Mr. Anutin is currently the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Health in the caretaker government of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha. The Bhumjaithai Party, with him as the prime minister candidate, won the third most parliamentary seats in the May 14 general election with 70 seats, behind the MFP (152 seats) and the Pheu Thai Party (141 seats).

News and photos: VNA

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