Parties in the ruling coalition

On May 21, a senior official of the Forward Party (MFP) – the party that won the most seats in Thailand's recent general election – said that the parties in the potential ruling coalition have not yet agreed on the terms of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the format for forming a new government , which is expected to be announced by MFP leader Pita Limjaroenrat on May 22.

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

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

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

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

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

Thaksin posted the tweet after a post by Bhumjaithai Party leader Anutin Charnvirakul that his family was on vacation in Hong Kong. Anutin is currently the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Health in Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha's interim government. The Bhumjaithai Party, with him as the prime minister candidate, won the third-highest number of parliamentary seats in the May 14 general election with 70 seats, behind the MFP (152 seats) and the Pheu Thai Party (141 seats).

Text and photos: VNA

Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/quoc-te/tin-tuc/bau-cu-thai-lan-cac-dang-trong-lien-minh-cam-quyen-tiem-tang-chua-thong-nhat-mot-so-dieu-khoan-728891