Groups urge Senate to back Thai majority’s choice for PM, Pita Limjaroenrat

Two prominent civil society groups urged the Senate to honour the majority’s decision in favour of Pita Limjaroenrat, the Move Forward Party’s (MFP) candidate for prime minister. The Rural Doctors Society (RDS) and the Law CU Student Committee, Faculty of Law, Chulalongkorn University (CU), expressed their support for the MFP to lead a coalition government with Pita at the helm.

The MFP has secured 310 MPs from five previous opposition parties and one new party. However, it still requires the backing of 66 senators to reach the necessary 376 votes to confirm their choice of prime minister, as per the constitution.

In a statement, the RDS emphasized the importance of respecting the people’s overwhelming electoral mandate by voting in favour of Pita as the country’s next prime minister. The RDS stated that adhering to the majority’s voice is a fundamental principle of democracy. The statement said…

“The RDS would like to call on the 250 senators to create real democracy by respecting the majority’s will and give their support to Pita Limjaroenrat.”

Similarly, the Law CU Student Committee issued a statement urging senators to support Pita as prime minister and for all political parties to accept the people’s vote.

The statement further explained that the party with the most seats in an election has the right to form the coalition government first, and it would be unacceptable for any party to attempt to establish a minority government, reported Bangkok Post.

The MFP leader wasted no time after the Election Commission (EC) unofficially confirmed the MFP’s victory in the General Election on Sunday.

The MFP chief immediately reached out to the Pheu Thai Party and four other smaller political parties to form a coalition government. Pita believes that a six-party coalition will command a combined 310 seats in the House of Representatives, securing a majority for the coalition to move forward.