Srettha says he is ready to be Prime Minister

Srettha Thavisin, a Thai politician who is one of the Pheu Thai Party’s three prime minister candidates, has said that he is ready to be a Prime Minister of Thailand if he wins the trust of Pheu Thai Party. 

He reportedly said, “We at the Pheu Thai Party have discussed this matter for four months, and if I weren’t ready for the job, I would not have been named one of three prime ministerial candidates by the Pheu Thai Party.”

The Pheu Thai Party, the third incarnation of a Thai political party, nominated three prime ministerial candidates for May election. During the May election, the Move Forward Party won the most seats. The Pheu Thai Party was in second position.

While responding to media questions, Srettha Thavisin said, “I’m always a team player, and we are democratic. Whatever decision is reached by the Pheu Thai Party board, I will respect it.” 

Meanwhile, Phumtham Wechayachai, Pheu Thai Deputy Leader, urged the Move Forward Party to focus on forming a new coalition. He said, “Mr Pita couldn’t even get 64 votes from senators in last week’s prime minister vote.”

Last week, Pita Limjaroenrat, the leader of the Move Forward Party, failed to get a majority of votes to back his bid to become the prime minister. He failed to get the 375 parliamentary votes needed to become Thailand’s prime minister. Last week, 43 senators did not attend the meeting to select the new prime minister.

Later on, the MFP submitted a proposal to parliament, urging to remove the military-appointed senators from the parliament. Chaithawat Tulathon, Move Forward party secretary-general, said, “As the senators expressed that they did not want to exercise their voting rights, we are proposing a solution.” 

Recently, rumours emerged that Srettha Thavisin would be nominated for a new prime ministerial vote if MFP leader Pita Limjaroenrat is unable to get enough votes.