Bhumjaithai-led govt moves forward as Klatham agrees to join without conditions
Bhumjaithai's bid to form the next coalition government, after last week's general election, has developed increased momentum, with the Klatham party’s Secretary General, Pai Leek, announcing that they have agreed to join the government without preconditions.
Pai said he called Chaichanok Chidchob, secretary-general of the Bhumjaithai party, today to inform him.
Pai pledged support for Anutin Charnvirakul, leader of Bhumjaithai, to remain as prime minister, amid reports that the party has dropped its demand to retain control of the Cabinet agriculture portfolio. Klatham’s chief adviser, Thammanat Prompao, is the incumbent agriculture minister
Reports indicate that Thammanat wished to maintain in control of the ministry in the next government and had set this as a condition for joining the coalition.
Bhumjaithai signalled though that, if Kla Tham insists on taking the Agriculture Ministry, it would replace Klatham with the Democrat Party.
Klatham finished as the fourth-largest party (58 seats) in the unofficial general election tally, while Bhumjaithai came first (183 seats), followed by the People’s party (118 seats) and Pheu Thai (74 seats).
With Klatham joining the government, the Bhumjaithai-led coalition currently controls 341 of the 500 parliamentary seats. Confirmed to be on the opposition benches are 140 MPs, mainly from the People’s party and the Democrats. That leaves 19 seats floating for now.
Pai said Thammanat is expected to meet privately with Prime Minister Anutin after tomorrow’s Cabinet meeting.
It has been reported that Suphajee Suthumpun, the incumbent commerce minister, is likely to retain the portfolio, adding an appointment as the deputy prime minister overseeing the Ministry of Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives in the new administration.
The inclusion of the Klatham party in the coalition means that it is no longer necessary for the Bhumjaithai party to invite the Democrats to join the alliance.