Thai parliament begins vote on Pita’s prime ministerial bid – Al Jazeera English

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Top candidate faces a tough battle with his eight-party coalition short of an absolute majority in Thailand’s bicameral parliament.

Thailand’s parliament has begun voting for a new prime minister, with Move Forward Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat running unopposed in what will be a critical test of his political clout.

The 42-year-old politician faced a tough battle in Thursday’s high-stakes vote, with his eight-party coalition short of the absolute majority in the 749-member bicameral parliament.

The vote marks a pivotal moment for Thailand in the aftermath of Move Forward’s shock election success in the May 14 general election, with fears for renewed political instability in a country that has seen more than a dozen military coups in the past century.

The progressive party and its alliance partner, Pheu Thai, thrashed conservative pro-military parties in the vote in a victory seen widely as a resounding rejection of nearly a decade of government led or backed by the royalist military.

But Pita’s determination to pursue Move Forward’s anti-establishment agenda puts him at odds with a powerful nexus of conservatives and old-money families that have loomed large over Thai politics for decades.

His alliance controls 312 seats, but to get the required 375 votes, he needs support from some of the 249 members of the conservative-leaning upper house Senate which was appointed by the military after a coup in 2014.

Many senators are opposed to Move Forward’s agenda, including a controversial plan to amend a law that bans insulting the monarchy.

“I will do my best to match the hope and encouragement from the people,” Pita told reporters as he arrived at parliament.

“I will do my best to explain to those senators who still have questions. I’ll use this opportunity to find a consensus.”

Pita has had a bumpy ride and was dealt a major blow on the eve of the vote when two legal complaints against him gained momentum, prompting hundreds of pro-democracy demonstrators to gather in Bangkok to warn of moves afoot to keep Move Forward from power.

The Constitutional Court agreed on Wednesday to take on a complaint against the party over its plan to amend a strict law that prohibits insulting the monarchy, just hours after the election commission recommended the court disqualify Pita from parliament.

The recommendation followed a probe into Pita’s ownership of shares in a media company. Politicians are not allowed to own media shares. The station has not broadcast since 2007 and Pita has said the shares were inherited from his father.

He defended himself again in parliament on Thursday and urged legislators to respect the people’s will.

“This is not a vote for me nor my party but a vote for opening a chance to return normalcy to Thailand,” he said.

If Pita loses the first vote, the House speaker will table session after session until a prime minister emerges – raising the spectre of weeks of deadlock and economic uncertainty in Thailand.

Pita’s alliance has had disagreements in recent weeks and if he fails on Thursday, it must decide whether to back him again in another vote slated for July 19, or put forward another candidate, testing its cohesion as it seeks to form the next government.