Thailand’s populist party Pheu Thai announces fresh coalition with government-aligned party

Thailand’s populist Pheu Thai party announced Monday that it will form a coalition with a party from the outgoing military-backed administration to try to end nearly three months of political deadlock after the progressive party that won national elections was excluded from the formation of a new government.

Thailand's populist Pheu Thai party announced Monday that it will form a coalition with a party from the outgoing military-backed administration to try to end nearly three months of political deadlock after the progressive party that won national elections was excluded from the formation of a new government.

Thailand has struggled to break the impasse and select a new leader after the progressive Move Forward Party became the surprise winner of the May elections but was blocked by the conservative elite from taking power.

Move Forward leader Pita Limjaroenrat had assembled an eight-party coalition with 312 seats in the 500-member lower house. But under Thailand's military-enacted constitution, a new prime minister must receive a majority in a vote by both the elected House and 250-member appointed Senate, selected by a previous military government. Pita’s initial bid last month fell short by more than 50 votes, largely because only 13 senators backed him. He was barred from a second attempt the following week when Parliament voted that he could not be nominated again.

Members of the Senate said they opposed Pita because of his party’s call for the reform of a law that makes it illegal to defame Thailand’s royal family. Critics say the law, which carries a penalty of up to 15 years in prison, has been abused as a political weapon. The Senate’s members, like the army, see themselves as guardians of traditional royalist values.

Pheu Thai, the second biggest party in the eight-party coalition, took over the lead role in forming a government after Move Forward’s two failed attempts. It said last Wednesday that Move Forward had been excluded from the coalition because its platform to reform the royal defamation law made it impossible to rally enough support from other parties and the Senate.

Pheu Thai on Monday said it will try to form a government with the Bhumjaithai Party, which finished third in the election with 71 seats in the lower house. Together with Pheu Thai's 141 seats, the two parties hold 212 seats.

Bhumjaithai, which is known for cutting deals with parties on both sides of the political divide, was part of the outgoing military-backed coalition government of Prayuth Chan-ocha, who as army chief toppled a Pheu Thai government in a coup in 2014 and returned as prime minister after 2019 elections. Bhumjaithai leader Anutin Charnvirakul serves as deputy prime minister and minister of public health in Prayuth’s administration.