Jatuporn warns Pheu Thai may be turned as he predicts a political impasse. Should wait for 2024

[webfact]

Former United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship Charman Jatuporn Prompan (centre), himself a reminder of past political struggles, sees little chance of Pita Limjaroenrat (inset left) and the new Move Forward coalition getting the votes it needs from the Thai Senate appointed by the junta after the 2019 General Election and which is thought to be heavily influenced by both Prime Minister General Prayut Chan ocha and Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan (inset right). He intimated the coalition should wait until June 2024, when the Senate’s voting rights expire under the 2017 Constitution.

 

by Joseph O' Connor

The surprise election result has raised the stakes in Thai politics as the public has voted for a party that wants to see political accountability and real democracy. This week, Mr Jatuporn predicted that Pheu Thai may turn if, as he thinks likely, Mr Pita’s efforts at forming a government fail in parliament with embedded opposition from the unelected Thai Senate which was appointed after the 2019 General Election with 194 members hand-picked by the outgoing junta in its last days. 

Despite rapid moves this week from the victorious Move Forward Party to put together a new coalition government, there are strong and mounting fears that Thailand may be heading towards a political impasse leading up to an August vote to elect a new prime minister and government. In court again this week facing charges, a veteran of the country’s ruinous street protests and the colour-coded struggle over the last eighteen years, former United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) Chairman Jatuporn Prompan told reporters that he thought the chances of Mr Pita getting the support he needed from the Thai Senate were very marginal and warned that the Pheu Thai Party may turn away from the current efforts, something that would be a step backwards for democracy in the country. Mr Jatuporn appeared to suggest, instead, that the pro-democracy coalition should wait it out until June 2024 when the Thai Senate’s voting rights will expire by law under Section 272 of the Thai Constitution.

It is not even a week since the result of the May 14th election which stunned Thailand with an emphatic win for the Move Forward Party but there are clear signs that the kingdom is moving towards a political impasse or stalemate which could turn out to be even more serious than past political disturbances if cooler and more strategic heads do not prevail.

 

Full story: https://www.thaiexaminer.com/thai-news-foreigners/2023/05/21/jatuporn-pheu-thai-move-forward-wait-for-june-2024-senate-voting-rights-expire/

 

-- © Copyright Thai Examiner 2023-05-22

 

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[bannork]

I'm not sure the senators would prefer the alternative to MF, namely the Thaksin led PT. 

Hopefully enough senators see the light and recognise the desire for change and reform in Thailand.

An insightful article by Pravit explaining why MF triumphed over PT 

 

[hotchilli]

Mr Jutuporn is a very sore loser...

[mania]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

He intimated the coalition should wait until June 2024, when the Senate’s voting rights expire under the 2017 Constitution.

Not like that is possible is it?

If they wait as suggested & the BS250 put Prayut or Prawit or worse yet Anutin in as PM then that wait is 4 years not next year

 

Secondly who is to say Prayut or Prawit wouldn't then extend the BS 250 seats another X amount of years?

 

It is not like they have not destroyed constitutions & elected governments before.

Edited May 21, 2023 by mania

[anchadian]

Bhumjai Thai leader Anutin Charnveerakul denies he's in a talk in Hong Kong to form an alternative coalition with Pheu Thai with Thaksin as rumoured. He posted a pic of himself & his wife at a hotel as a "proof"

 

https://twitter.com/KhaosodEnglish/status/1660484994543030272