bannork

And who would choose the constitution to revert to, and how many more years down the road? The junta

Absolutely.

It was a Hobson's choice for Gawd's sake. After the coup, the junta wrote a constitution in 2015 which their own council rejected. It was forbidden to criticise the 2017 constitution, if the public rejected it, who knows how many more years before a third would be written? All the while, the junta remained in power, using their ' emergency ' constitution post coup. The public had no choice. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-34149523

h90 is fond of saying in his country ( Austria) governments are often composed of coalitions from parties that came second, third, fourth. So it's no surprise the party that won the most seats cannot form a government. However, as far as I know, Austria doesn't have 250 senators, all personally appointed by the previous PM / government, able to vote in the selection of the following PM.

Wow!

Yesterday there was a big crowd to welcome him in Supanburi. Today it's Pathum Thani .

Do something good for a change and act in democracy's interest. Vote for Pita.

Right on, Chaturon!

Settha is becoming impatient to be PM. Just 2 days ago, the Deputy House Speaker from PT, Pichet, said Pita should have three chances to be PM, voting on the 13th, 18th and 20th. And now Settha says only one. PT, a bunch of cobras. Then, the rumour that won't die that speculates up to 80 PT MPs may actually vote for Pravit as PM. Their only reason to do that rather than vote for Settha is to bring Thaksin home. But at such a cost politically. PT seen to be the scum they really are ( with a few notable exceptions).

Imo what MF must do is be steadfast. 14 million people voted for them, they mustn't walk away from the coalition if Pita fails to become PM. Let Chettha be the PM but MF must insist on the ministries already designated. They must be seen to be working for the people, carrying out their policies they outlined. If PT make it impossible for them to remain, then let the public know. But don't let the public down by voluntarily quitting the coalition.

Could be orders from their boss abroad.

No, no! Jim has announced on this website many times in the last two months that the great man is coming back in style on his birthday at the end of this month. Sadly Tony may be crooning instead in some Singapore hotel karaoke suite: ' Why did you throw the Jack of Hearts ( Pravit) away? It was the only card in the deck that I had left to play?'

Yes, the loyalist, royalist supporters are mostly in their 'golden' years. Plus they're used to comfort, air-con etc. They might occupy Central department store but that's about it.

I think there's a very good chance they will because the two candidates who might contest the leadership election this Sunday both support Pita as PM. Alongkorn is certainly standing and Abhisit might. The possible contender from the south, Decha-It Khaotong, is now mulling the Secretary General post apparently, before bidding for leadership in the future

Some MPs in the junta block may vote for Pita. The Democrats with their new leader on the 9th, for example

Jatuporn confidently predicted that PT's Suchart Tancharern would be elected House Speaker. Wrong. PT don't have to do anything if Pita is not elected by the senators. The coalition sticks together then proposes Settha as PM. If the senators reject even him, then it is screamingly obvious the senators are rejecting the choices of the vast majority of Thai voters. The coalition go into Opposition and let.Bhumjaithai form a minority government which very quickly collapses. Only Anuthin has already said he won't be part of a minority government. A way out for the dinosaurs and PT would be the dissolution of MF, but even then the MPs can join a reserved spare party. PT risk considerable damage if they betray MF and join Bhumjaithai. Better to stick with MF and see the senators blink. After all the senators sole objection to MF is reform of article 112.. PT have no such agenda so senators have no reason to oppose Settha as PM.

True but from June next year, they'll just be ordinary citizens again. All perks and salary gone

His party received 38% of party list votes compared to PT's 28%. A clear indication the public want MF to be the government and Pita, the Prime Minister.

Hang on, MF's stance regarding reforming 112 hasn't changed since first mentioned a year or two ago. So why did these two senators support MF before? A point perhaps worth considering is the Senate may well lack the unity it possessed at the last election. Then they had recently been appointed by Prayuth to shoe him in as PM but this time he's not standing and the senators' tenure expires next June Thus some may think of the future, do they want to go down in history as stubborn dinosaurs, unable to accept democracy in Thailand?

He was just expressing his frustration with the inaction of Prayuth's government regarding the high price of fertilizers against the low selling price of rice

There was no need for him to bring fertilizer to Parliament. There was enough manure being emitted from Prayuth's government to grow several rai of rice in Parliament.

Yes, the volatile senator, Kittisak Rattanawara, has already announced he would vote for a PT candidate if they dropped MF Trouble is in February he said he wouldn't vote for a PT candidate because Thaksin's daughter was immature! It's said some senators are under pressure from their own offspring to follow democratic principles and vote for Pita. A plan to ' force ' PT to dump MF to form a government will cause public outrage and irritrievably damage PT's image as a democracy loving party. Does Thaksin really want to come back amid protests and boos?

The problem with that is it will shatter PT's promise to have nothing to do with Pravit or Prayuth. And whilst the senators may reject Pita on the 112 reform vow, they have no reason to reject Settha MF could stick with PT despite losing the premiership. An extreme measure could see the Constitutional Court dissolving MF, but even then the MPs have 60 days to find a new party, as MF did from FF.

What's the alternative for PT?