Thai reformists ‘confident’ they can form government as coalition takes shape

Mr Pita needs 376 votes to win that poll. So far, he’s formed an alliance of eight parties, including Pheu Thai, with a combined 313 seats in the lower house. That leaves him 63 seats short of a majority, with little hope of securing widespread support in the senate.

Move Forward’s determination to modify the stringent lese-majeste laws – which prevents criticism of the monarch and punishes infractions with up to 15 years in prison – could obstruct their ability to gather more support.

Bhumjaithai Party, which came third with 70 seats, has now said it will not back a party which plans to amend the legislation. 

Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a professor at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, told The Telegraph that Move Forward is continuing to champion a “new type of Thai politics”, but faces a “daunting, uphill task”.  

“The only way I think [Move Forward] can do it, is to pile up a lot of public pressure on the senators to support them,” he said. “But I think we will see a very tense period coming up, and the risk of social unrest is rising.”