Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon and other politicians yesterday denied talk that they had met at a military base to discuss the formation of a coalition government.
Gen Prawit denied a report that a deal had been struck with political parties to support the Palang Pracharath Party in forming a coalition government at the Five Provinces Bordering Forest Preservation Foundation, of which Gen Prawit is chairman, in the compound of the 1st Infantry Regiment, King's Guard, in Bangkok.
Shortly after Sunday's general election, a report emerged that Gen Prawit and Deputy Prime Minister SomkidJatusripitak had met representatives from several political parties for coalition talks at the foundation to secure more than 250 seats in the House to back Gen Prayut as prime minister of the next government.
They include Bhumjaithai Party leader Anutin Charnvirakul, deputy Democrat leaders Jurin Laksanavit and Korn Chatikavanij, Chartthaipattana leader Kanchana Silpa-archa and Chartthaipattana secretary-general Prapat Pothasuthon, Chartpattana Party chief adviser Suwat Liptapanlop, and Damrong Phidet, leader of the Thai Forest Conservation Party.
Representatives from the Action Coalition for Thailand Party, of which former street protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban is a co-founder, and other small political parties which were tipped to win one House seat each, also attended the meeting.
But these politicians on Tuesday denied this.
Mr Korn posted on Facebook, saying he did not meet anyone for coalition talks.
The party's stance will become clear when its executives hold a meeting to decide its position regarding the next government.
A Bhumjaithai source also dismissed the report as untrue while Varawut Silpa-archa, the chairman of Chartthaipattana's policy and strategy committee, said it was only a rumour.
Mr Varawut said Chartthaipattana was tipped to get only a small number of between 11-12 seats in the House of Representatives.
"I confirm that no other parties have yet approached the party to join a coalition. We can wait," he said.
