BANGKOK, May 10 (TNA) – The pro-military Palang Pracharath
Party (PPRP) expresses confidence in its bid the form a coalition government.
After the Election Commission (EC) announced the official
results of the March 24 election this week, both elected constituency and
party-lists MPs have reported to the EC.
PPRP itself won 115 seats, lower than the anti-junta Pheu
Thai Party’s 136. But it is believed
that many smaller parties are ready to join PPRP, enabling it to form a
coalition of 254 MPs in the 500-seat lower house.
PPRP member Puthipong Bhunnakan said when he reported to
parliament office on Friday that the party was very confident of garnering
support for forming the next government.
He rejected media reports that there had been disagreements
among potential coalition parties over the allocation of Cabinet posts.
In comparison, the anti-junta bloc led by Pheu Thai has won
245 seats, fell short of the house majority.
But Pheu Thai has maintained that it had the right to form a coalition
government and campaigned for supports.
The seven-party bloc announced after the polls vows to oppose any
attempt to prolong the junta’s rule.
Bhumjaithai Party with 52 seats is seen as a kingmaker to
decide which camp will successfully form the coalition. But it is rumored that the party has not
joined any move to form a coalition government because unsettled dispute over
Cabinet portfolios.
Puthipong said it was too early to allocate ministerial posts;
his party needed to find other parties to build a strong coalition.
It is also speculated that the undecided faction comprising
Bhumjaithai and the Democrat Party might seek setting up a coalition of their
own.
Bhumjaithai leader Anutin Charnvirakul dismissed the rumors
saying there had been neither talks on setting up a government nor negotiations
over Cabinet seats.
Meanwhile, the embattled leader of Future Forward Party
(FFP) Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, who has been investigated for violating
election law and risks being disqualified, reported to the EC on Friday.
FFP which is one of the seven parties in Pheu Thai-led bloc
has been a fierce critic of the junta. 
Thanathorn repeated his call for other parties to join the
FFP in opposing the Senate to vote the next prime minister, in what he calls
“switch off” campaign.
He said that the PPRP-led bloc had far fewer MPs than his
bloc and would need supports from the Senate.
Therefore, he called all other parties to join force in denouncing the
junta-appointed Senate in voting for the new prime minister.
Under the current Constitution, the 250 senators will join
500 MPs in voting for the new prime minister. (TNA)
