Several major political parties will join the coalition alliance led by the pro-regime Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) on the condition that Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon and certain other members of the regime are sidelined from the new cabinet, sources said yesterday.
They said the parties, speculated to serve as PPRP's allies, have not committed yet due to a number of lingering reservations.
The parties have accepted Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha as the PPRP's prime ministerial candidate, in line with the constitution, but do not want Gen Prawit, who also serves as deputy chief of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), nor Interior Minister Anupong Paojinda or other members of the NCPO from being given cabinet seats, the sources said.
Including NCPO members in the new cabinet would merely lend more credibility to criticism that the regime is clinging on to its power, they added.
In particular, Gen Prawit has been seen as the government's Achilles' heel, the sources noted.
The Election Commission (EC) endorsed 99% of 500 MPs, or 498 seats, on Wednesday, giving politicians final figures to play with in finding allies.
Regarding reports that the Democrat and Bhumjaithai parties, both widely tipped to join the PPRP-led alliance, were not happy with the prospect of the PPRP grabbing all of the senior economic positions, the sources admitted this would be a hurdle to the PPRP's bid to form a coalition government.
But the sources said Gen Prayut may eventually step in and reallocate cabinet seats to mollify them, rather than allow Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak to give all of those positions to the PPRP.
"The PPRP has to let coalition partners take some key ministries or at least the seats of deputy ministries in charge of economic affairs to make sure negotiations about the formation of a coalition government can continue and parties such as the Democrats, Bhumjaithai and Chartthaipattana are satisfied'', the sources said.
There were reports that the Democrats will form another rival alliance with the Bhumjaithai and Chartthaipattana parties if the PPRP takes all the economic posts.
Some reports claimed the Democrat and Bhumjaithai parties would be given six seats each in the cabinet, while the Chartthaipattana Party would get two.
A Bhumjaithai source, who asked not to be named, said the PPRP was in talks with Bhumjaithai through Newin Chidchob, a veteran Buri Ram politician-turned-sports impresario and co-founder of Bhumjaithai.
The source said Bhumjaithai wanted at least eight cabinet seats, including the transport and agriculture ministerial posts, as well as the vice president of parliament. However, PPRP has only offered the seat of public health minister, as Bhumjaithai vowed to push for its policy on liberalising the use of cannabis, and the seat of deputy prime minister.
That being said, Bhumjaithai is still not interested in joining a rival alliance led by Pheu Thai, the source said.
Bhumjaithai leader Anutin Charnvirakul said via Facebook yesterday that any decision to join a coalition would have to be made by the party leader.
Varawut Silpa-archa, chief of Chartthaipattana's strategic and policy committee, said neither PPRP nor Pheu Thai had approached his party, which has 10 MP seats.
He believed the two parties would approach the Bhumjaithai and Democrat parties first, adding the Democrat Party could play a key role.
Democrat acting leader Jurin Laksanavisit said the party would not tie itself to any coalition until after May 15, when it selects a new leader and executive board.
Chief adviser Chuan Leekpai said the party was contacted to join a coalition but would wait for a decision from the new MPs and board.