Pheu Thai launches charm offensive for support for PM candidate

Pheu Thai Party, entrusted with forming the post-election coalition by its political allies, will today meet with two political parties in the outgoing Prayut administration to seek their support for its prime minister candidate.
An endorsement by Bhumjaithai and Chat Thai Pattana, which have 70 MPs and 10 MPs respectively would ensure that Pheu Thai clinches the country's top executive post.
Pheu Thai leader Cholnan Srikaew is scheduled to meet leaders of the two parties this afternoon but in a press conference yesterday refused to discuss what offer he was prepared to make.
“It would be ideal if they agree to support us without demanding to be part of the coalition we are forming,” he said.
It's still unclear which of its three prime minister candidates will be nominated for the joint sitting of Parliament to vote on this coming Thursday. Cholnan said the party's executive committee will make a decision a day before the vote.
Well-known real estate tycoon Srettha Thavisin has been touted as the most likely choice. The two other candidates are Paetongtarn Shinawatra, daughter of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and Chaikasem Nitisiri, a former justice minister.
Pheu Thai is now taking the lead in forming a coalition with seven other political parties after Move Forward leader Pita Limjaroenrat's prime ministerial nomination was rejected by Parliament.
Cholnan said Pheu Thai will try to appeal to both MPs and senators for their support for its prime minister candidate. The majority of senators are against Pita's nomination because of his party's stand on Article 112 or the lese majeste law which it claims has been abused to target opponents of those in power.
With a combined 312 MPs, Pheu Thai and its political allies command a comfortable House majority. But without support from the Senate, they hParliament. Enlisting support from parties on the opposite side of the aisle is now seen as an alternative.
However, leaders of both Bhumjaithai and Chat Thai Pattana parties have made it clear that they would not work with any political party that meddles with Article 112.
Cholnan admitted that Move Forward's stand on the issue of the monarchy is a sore point that needs to be discussed with senators and the political parties being approached. “We need to find out how this issue can be addressed,” he said without being specific.
Speaking at a press conference yesterday, Move Forward's secretary general Chaithawat Tulaton reiterated that his party will not backtrack on its election campaign pledge to have the lese majeste law amended.
“The task before us is how to get support from MPs from other parties and senators for our prime minister candidate,” he said Cholnan.
If the effort fails, Cholnan said the eight parties in the Pheu Thai-led alliance have agreed that they may no longer be bound by their MOU and go their separate ways.