Chartthaipattana firm on opposing non-elected PM

The Chartthaipattana Party says it will support a prime minister from a political party winning the majority of House seats, not a non-elected outsider premier.

Chartthaipattana key figure Paradorn Prissananantakul yesterday maintained the party's stance against a "non-elected outside prime minister" in favour of an elected one.

The term referred to a nominee not on the list of parties who is voted in by a majority in both the House and Senate.

Mr Paradorn, the son of Somsak Prissananantakul, another key Chartthaipattana figure, said any party which wins a majority of House seats in the next election secures a popular mandate to run the country. This also means voters have trust in the prime ministerial candidates nominated by that party.

In light of this, Chartthaipattana will be willing to comply with voters by supporting a candidate from that party, Mr Paradorn said.

The party will submit a list of prime ministerial candidates, but if its candidates do not receive enough support from other parties, it will join other parties in choosing who is most suited for the prime ministerial post from among candidates they nominate, Mr Paradorn added.

He also said the party will call a general assembly on Oct 5 to amend party regulations in compliance with the new law on parties and to select new party executives after the National Council for Peace and Order eased the ban on political activities last Friday. Mr Paradorn said that it was agreed at the party that "new generation" politicians should now step in and play a role in running the party.

He added Varawut Silpa-archa, a former MP for Suphan Buri and son of late former PM Banharn Silpa-archa, is most likely to be chosen as the new party leader, and Siripong Angkhasakulkiat, a former MP for Si Sa Ket, is tipped for the post of party secretary-general.

Under the constitution, before the election campaign begins, every party must nominate up to three candidates.

If MPs fail to select a new premier from candidates nominated by party lists, a provisional clause under Section 272 of the charter would trigger the alternative route.

Senators can join MPs in proposing a motion to suspend the rule requiring prime ministerial candidates to come from political party lists, paving the way for an "outsider" prime minister to be selected.

Such a motion requires the support of at least two-thirds of both MPs and senators.