Pheu Thai supporters urge split from MFP amid House speaker rift

A faction of Pheu Thai supporters is urging the party to distance itself from the Move Forward Party (MFP) due to an internal disagreement over the House speaker position. Despite this, the majority of the group continues to back Pheu Thai’s commitment to vote for MFP leader Pita Limjaroenrat as the next prime minister and permit the MFP to spearhead the creation of a new coalition, according to Niyom Nopparat, a leader of the group.

The faction is also advocating for Pheu Thai to support the MFP-led effort to rewrite the constitution for the people, Nopparat added. Several members of the group assembled outside Pheu Thai’s Bangkok headquarters yesterday, submitting an open letter outlining their requests to the party.

Nopparat stated that if the MFP is unable to secure enough MPs to establish a new coalition government, Pheu Thai, which secured the second-highest number of House seats after the MFP, should have the right to lead the formation of a new coalition. The group’s objective is to make the MFP aware that forming a government without Pheu Thai’s support would be challenging, reported Bangkok Post. Nopparat said…

“We wish the MFP success in its attempt to form a coalition and urge Pheu Thai to support the MFP and all other coalition parties by voting for Pita to become the prime minister.”

Nopparat maintained that the group’s intentions were not politically motivated or aimed at creating further discord between Pheu Thai and MFP.

Anusorn Iamsa-ard, a key figure who serves as deputy secretary-general of Pheu Thai’s committee on political strategies, accepted the open letter from the group and pledged to forward the requests to the party’s executives for consideration. Anusorn said…

“In a democracy, differences of opinions are perfectly fine as long as they are constructive and straightforward, not ones that distort to devalue or accuse someone like us, Pheu Thai.”

Meanwhile, whistleblower Chuwit Kamolvisit posted on his Facebook page about what he described as “a new secret deal without the MFP.”

According to Chuwit, secret negotiations have been conducted to make the MFP an opposition party when it fails to gather more than half of the House seats required to form a government.

Pheu Thai, Bhumjaithai Party, Palang Pracharath Party, Democrat Party, and Charthaipattana Party will then form a coalition instead under a secret deal called “come home,” a reference to the former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra who is waiting in Singapore, he said. Chuwit declined to reveal those involved in the alleged negotiations.

“I think I smell something rotten, like fake democracy.”

Pheu Thai leader Cholnan Srikaew stated that the party will consider the group’s requests, particularly their proposal for Pheu Thai to leave the MFP-led alliance. He emphasised that establishing a democratic government is more important than anything else and that differences in opinions among parties attempting to form a government could still be reconciled to achieve the ultimate goal. Cholnan said…

“Pheu Thai does listen to opinions from all sides, especially those who support the party.”

He dismissed rumours that Pheu Thai was offered the energy minister position in exchange for the House speaker post, stating that the party has yet to begin formal discussions on the allocation of Cabinet portfolios.

A meeting of the coalition parties has been scheduled for tomorrow to primarily address the cabinet minister quota each coalition party will be entitled to receive, according to a source. MFP secretary-general Chaithawat Tulathon expressed his belief that there would be sufficient time remaining after tomorrow’s meeting for informal talks with the coalition parties on the House speaker post.

In related news, the Election Commission (EC) will commence an investigation today into whether Pita Limjaroenrat was eligible to run in the election due to his ownership of shares in a media company.