Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha has finally received a formal invitation to stand as the Palang Pracharath prime ministerial candidate from the former ministers leading the pro-regime party.
Party leader Uttama Savanayana led the Palang Pracharath co-founders to meet with the prime minister at Government House on Friday afternoon. They gave him a copy of the party platform and documents outlining why they wanted him to be the party’s standard-bearer in the March 24 election.
Gen Prayut said he needed time to make a decision. All parties must finalise their prime ministerial candidates — each one can name up to three people — by Feb 8.
Palang Pracharath has already named Mr Uttama and Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak as its other two prime ministerial picks.
Mr Uttama, a former industry minister, said after the meeting that the party hoped for a positive reply from the man who has been heading the non-elected government for the past four years and nine months.
Gen Prayut said earlier on Friday that he had no plans to step down if he takes an offer from a political party to be its candidate. He did not spell out the name of the party but so far only Palang Pracharath has offered him the slot.
Formed last year and bolstered by the defections of numerous seasoned politicians from other parties, Palang Pracharath is widely viewed as the vehicle for perpetuating the rule of the current regime as an elected government. Its key figures have denied any such motivation.
Also attending the talks with Gen Prayut on Friday were former science and technology minister Suvit Maesincee, former PM’s office minister Kobsak Pootrakool and former commerce minister Sontirat Sontijirawong. They recently resigned from the cabinet along with Mr Uttama as pressure mounted on them to avoid having conflicts of interest.
