BANGKOK – As the first session of Thailand’s newly elected Parliament next Monday draws near, the two major parties hoping to form the post-election government are locked in a stalemate over the top legislative post of House Speaker.
The tussle, which has turned into a public spat among members of the Pheu Thai and Move Forward parties, is the first test of the strength of the intended eight-party coalition.
If the parties – which came in first and second place in the May 14 general elections – are unable to reach consensus over who gets the post, their victory in the recent national polls could crumble, said observers.
They added that cracks have already appeared and there were rumours that an alternative coalition consisting of Pheu Thai and parties from the outgoing conservative regime could present itself.
“Both claim to be democratic parties, but they cannot work together,” said political analyst Pitch Pongsawat, noting that the biggest threat to the eight-party Move Forward Party-led alliance is its lack of strategy.
The alliance is formed by parties that share largely similar ideologies, such as opposing the Thai junta’s interference in elections and a goal of rewriting the Constitution.
“They are democratic forces, but they lack direction. They (were aligned) on only one thing, which was to overthrow Prayut. But now that has happened, what is next?” said Dr Pitch.
He was referring to outgoing Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, whose Ruam Thai Sang Chart party garnered only 36 seats in the polls.
The Move Forward Party (MFP), a youthful upstart that champions progressive and liberal policies, was the winner of the May election, with 151 seats.
It teamed up with Pheu Thai, which won 141 seats, and six other smaller parties to form a 312-member coalition.
The bloc signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) in May, and has committed to supporting MFP leader Pita Limjaroenrat in his bid to become prime minister.
But negotiations between the major coalition parties are deadlocked, with MFP and Pheu Thai both laying claim on the crucial House Speaker role.
A meeting was scheduled for Wednesday to try to break the impasse before a Lower House sitting next Tuesday, when lawmakers are expected to choose the House Speaker.
But the talks were cancelled after Pheu Thai Party leader Chonlanan Srikaew told local media on Tuesday that his party would not concede the House Speaker role to the MFP.
A flurry of activity, and contradicting reports suggesting that either party would give up the post, followed.
MFP and Pheu Thai said on Friday that negotiations were ongoing. The latest is that they will meet on Sunday to resolve this issue.
