Thailand’s Move Forward makes way for Pheu Thai to form govt

Move Forward Party supporters react after hearing about the suspension of leader and prime minister candidate Pita Limjaroenrat as they gather outside the Thai Parliament in Bangkok on July 19, 2023. (PHOTO / AFP)

BANGKOK – Thailand's election-winning Move Forward party will let alliance partner, the Pheu Thai party, lead the formation of a government after its prime ministerial candidate failed to get parliament's backing, a senior official said on Friday.

The eight-party alliance had backed Move Forward's 42-year-old leader Pita Limjaroenrat for the premiership but he failed to win the support of the bicameral parliament on July 13 and his renomination six days later was blocked by lawmakers

Party secretary Chaithawat Tulathon told a press conference that Move Forward would back any candidate Pheu Thai would put forward for prime minister in a parliamentary vote scheduled for on July 27.

The eight-party alliance had backed Move Forward's 42-year-old leader Pita Limjaroenrat for the premiership but he failed to win the support of the bicameral parliament on July 13 and his renomination six days later was blocked by lawmakers.

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Move Forward and Pheu Thai have 151 and 141 seats in the 500-member lower house, respectively, but the alliance needs the backing of more than half of the combined chambers, including an upper house Senate appointed by the military, which blocked Pita's bid.