Coalition parties sign agreement
published : 23 May 2023 at 09:18
writer: Gary Boyle
ORIGINAL SOURCE/WRITER: Mongkol Bangprapa
Leaders of eight parties have signed a memorandum of understanding as they step closer to forming a new coalition government on Monday.
However, Move Forward Party (MFP) leader, Pita Limjaroenrat, said on Monday that moves to amend the lese majeste law will continue, but the party will be alone in the task.
An eight-party alliance led by the MFP has a 23-point memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed by the MFP, Pheu Thai, Prachachart, Thai Sang Thai, Seri Ruam Thai, Fair, Palang Sangkhom Mai and Pheu Thai Ruam Phalang.
Among the key items, however, is a charter rewrite, reinstatement of cannabis as an illegal drug, replacing military conscription with voluntary recruitment, and pushing for a same-sex marriage law.
Mr Pita said it was a historic day because it marked a peaceful transition in Thai politics. The signing was arranged to coincide with the ninth anniversary of the May 22, 2014 coup.
Asked about the lese majeste law, Mr Pita said the draft law, which was submitted to the House in February 2021, would be pushed by the party.
Mr Pita brushed off a rumour that Pheu Thai was in talks with the Palang Pracharath Party to form a rival coalition, saying the eight parties were solid.
Learn from listening
Vocabulary
- alliance: a coalition; an arrangement to work together - พันธมิตร
- brushed off: refused to listen to someone, or to accept that something might be true or important - ไม่ยอมรับฟัง
- charter: a constitution - รัฐธรรมนูญ
- coalition: a temporary union of different political parties that agree to form a government together - พรรคร่วมรัฐบาล
- conscription: the practice of ordering people by law to serve in the armed forces - การเกณฑ์ทหาร
- draft: not in a final form and likely to be changed - ร่าง
- House: House of Representatives - สภา
- lese majeste: the crime of offending, threatening or showing disrespect for a member of the royal family - หมิ่นพระบรมเดชานุภาพ
- memorandum of understanding (MOU): a document used to describe a form of a written agreement between two or more groups, countries, etc. The document is not as strong as a contract but outlines a commitment between the two to work together toward the same purpose or goals -
- peaceful (adj): calm and quiet and not involving any violence - สงบ, ซึ่งมีระเบียบ, เงียบสงบ
- reinstatement: putting someone back in their previous position again - การให้กลับมารับตำแหน่งเดิม
- rival: a person you are competing against or opposing - คู่แข่ง
- rumour: a piece of information, or a story, that people talk about, but that may not be true - ข่าวลือ
- solid: completely good, with no mistakes or bad parts - ซึ่งไว้ใจได้
- task: something that you have to do - หน้าที่
- transition: the process of changing from one situation or state to another - การเปลี่ยนถ่าย การโอน
- voluntary: an action that is done because you choose to do it and not because you have to - ด้วยความสมัครใจ
