New attempt to forge Thailand government coalition

Описание: (7 Aug 2023)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Bangkok - 7 August 2023
1. Mid of Bhumjaithai Party leader Anutin Charnvirakul arriving for briefing
2. Wide of people sitting down for news conference
3. Mid of cameras
4. Mid of Anutin
5. Mid of Pheu Thai leader Chonlanan Srikaew
6. Wide of news conference
7. SOUNDBITE (Thai) Chonlanan Srikaew, Pheu Thai party leader:
“They came third winner in the election with 71 seats. Bhumjaithai party was not appointed. The seats came from the people’s votes. So the seats of Bhumjaithai and Pheu Thai, along with other parties to make more than half of the assembly: it’s legitimate and will create confidence for the people.”
8. Wide of news conference
9. Mid of reporters filming news conference
10. SOUNDBITE (English) Anutin Charnvirakul, Bhumjaithai party leader
“Now is the time that the country needs a government. The country needs to move on, so we have to finish all those disputes and despairs.”
11. Wide of reporters
12. Members of Pheu Thai and Bhumjaithai parties joining hands and posing for photographs
STORYLINE:
The party that came second in the Thai general election on Monday made a move to form a new coalition and break the deadlock that has so far prevented the formation of a government.

The Pheu Thai party, which won 141 seats, unveiled an alliance with the Bhumjaithai party, which came third with 71 seats, but did not say whether it also planned to invite the country’s two military-linked parties to join.

Move Forward leader Pita Limjaroenrat had assembled an eight-party coalition with 312 seats in the 500-member lower house.

But under Thailand's military-enacted constitution, a new prime minister must receive a majority in a vote by both the elected House and 250-member appointed Senate, selected by a previous military government.

Pita’s initial bid last month fell short by more than 50 votes, largely because only 13 senators backed him, and he was barred from a second attempt the following week when parliament voted that he could not be nominated again.

Pheu Thai, the second biggest party in the eight-party coalition, took over the lead role in forming a government after Move Forward’s two failed attempts.

It said last Wednesday that Move Forward had been excluded from the coalition because its platform to reform the royal defamation law made it impossible to rally enough support from other parties and the Senate.

Even combining their seats, Pheu Thai and Bhumjaithai will not have a majority in the 500-seat parliament, so they must bring in more parties.

Many voters fear this will allow a path back into government for military-aligned parties that were roundly rejected at the polls.

Asked if he could reassure people that their hopes would not be undermined by the new coalition, Pheu Thai leader Chonlanan Srikaew said the alliance was legitimate because all of the parties’ seats were won by popular vote.

Bhumjaithai and Pheu Thai were on opposite sides of the political divide during the last government, with the latter part of the administration of former general Prayuth Chan-ocha.

But Bhumjaithai leader Anutin Charnvirakul said Monday it was time for them to unite for the sake of the country.

AP video by Jerry Harmer

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