Executives of the Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) visited the Chartthaipattana Party’s head office yesterday to officially invite it to join its coalition, while the latter said it wanted a ministry that can best help ordinary people.
PPRP leader Uttama Savanayana said after their discussion that he was grateful that Chartthaipattana gave him a warm welcome and that they had already discussed their policies and common goals.
Mr Uttama denied rumours that the PPRP would press ahead for a vote for prime minister before holding talks with other political parties to finalise deals over cabinet posts. The PPRP will follow the proper process, he said.
Chartthaipattana Party leader Kanchana Silpa-archa said she and her party were honoured by the invitation from the PPRP’s senior figures.
Ms Kanchana said she would discuss the PPRP’s invitation with the executive board of her party today.
Neither side has discussed the allocation of cabinet posts yet. Instead, they have focused on opportunities for policy implementation, said Ms Kanchana, daughter of the late premier and party founder Banharn Silpa-archa.
She also said that her party would make a decision without waiting around for the Democrat Party.
Chartthaipattana, with its stronghold in the central province of Suphan Buri, won 10 House seats in the March 24 election.
Ms Kanchana admitted that Chartthaipattana is a small party and that it will likely be given the opportunity to oversee only one ministry.
“If possible, the party would like a ministry which has a wide network and can address important issues that affect people at the grassroots level,” Ms Kanchana said.
During the meeting, key PPRP figure Somsak Thepsuthin of the Sam Mitr group hugged Chartthaipattana secretary-general Praphat Phothasuthon and said Mr Praphat should become deputy prime minister.
Last Friday, Ms Kanchana and other key members held a briefing, saying the party agreed it would vote for a candidate proposed by the PPRP as House speaker. On the following day, Chuan Leekpai of the Democrat Party, who was nominated by the PPRP, was subsequently voted in as House speaker.
Earlier, Bhumjaithai Party leader Anutin Charnvirakul hinted at having second thoughts about his earlier stand to bring his party into the PPRP-led coalition after the Democrat Party held back on making a decision.
Mr Anutin reasoned that one of Bhumjaithai’s prerequisites is that the next government should be stable, with enough votes to push its policies through. Without support from the Democrats, the coalition would not be able to muster enough votes, he said.
