Thailand’s PM frontrunner Pita Limjaroenrat says ready to form coalition with ally if he loses vote

‘We’re certainly not giving up. I’m asking you to fight together until the end’

Move Forward Party Leader and prime minister candidate Pita Limjaroenrat gestures as he arrives at the Thai Parliament (AFP via Getty Images)

Thailand's progressive party leader Pita Limjaroenrat said he is willing to step aside and let his coalition partner form the next government if he fails to secure an endorsement for the prime minister's seat.

Mr Pita, the 42-year-old leader of Move Forward Party, failed to secure the backing of more than half of the 749-member bicameral parliament on Thursday after a military-drafted change to the constitution meant that all 250 upper-house senators are chosen by the country’s generals.

"If it is clear that Move Forward Party truly doesn't have a chance of form the government, I'm ready to give a chance to Thailand by letting the party that has the second most votes... to be the one to form the coalition," Mr Pita said on Saturday in a video address.

Parliament is expected to attempt another vote on 19 July and then a third vote, if necessary, will be held a day later.

Mr Pita urged supporters to help him on his “missions” and try “every way possible and every method imaginable” to convince senators to back his nomination for the second joint sitting next week.

He failed to garner votes last week despite being the sole nominated candidate, undermining the popular choice of people.

Move Forward’s victory in the May election alongside its alliance partner Pheu Thai was seen as a major political turning point after nearly a decade of government led by Prayut Chan-o-cha, a former general who seized power in a 2014 military coup.

Only 13 senators supported the Harvard graduate's bid for office, while 34 voted against him and 159 abstained. Dozens more were absent and did not vote. While some senators justified their abstaining as a way to "turn off the switch" of their power to vote for the next leader, abstaining has the same practical effect as voting no.

However, even if Pheu Thai, which secured second-highest number of votes, were to stake claim for government formation, they would require support from the senate to succeed.

Supporters of Move Forward Party hold posters during a protest in Bangkok (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

Pheu Thai is expected to field property tycoon, Settha Thavisin, for the next round of votes, which may draw less resistance from the conservative senators.

"... I’m willing to give Thailand a chance by letting Pheu Thai Party take the lead of the eight-party coalition,” Mr Pita said in the video.

“But until that day, we’re certainly not giving up. I’m asking you to fight together until the end.”

His party, meanwhile, is trying to push through a bill that seeks to strip the senate of the power to vote.

Party secretary-general Chaithawat Tulathon filed a motion on Friday to amend Article 272 of the Constitution, which if successfully passed, would remove the power of senators to jointly vote with elected MPs for the prime minister.

"The amendment will restore the power to elect the prime minister,” he said.