Pressure is mounting on the Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) and the Democrats to thrash out their differences and finalise a deal over the formation of a coalition government ahead of the prime ministerial vote in parliament scheduled for Wednesday.
The two parties remain at loggerheads over the distribution of certain ministerial positions, especially the Agriculture and Cooperatives portfolio, which is a bone of contention between the PPRP's Sam Mitr (Three Allies) group and the Democrat Party, sources said. Even though a source earlier said the PPRP had agreed to let the Democrat Party take the helm of the ministry.
House Speaker Chuan Leekpai on Friday said that a joint meeting of MPs and senators will be held to vote for a prime minister on Wednesday at the auditorium of TOT Plc's head office on Chaeng Watthana Road in Bangkok.
Mr Chuan, a former prime minister and current Democrat list-MP, made the remark after the Royal Gazette on Friday published his appointment as House speaker. Two deputy House speakers -- Suchart Tancharoen of the PPRP and Supachai Phosu of the Bhumjaithai Party were also royally endorsed.
The appointments of Senate Speaker Pornpetch Wichitcholchai, and two deputies -- Gen Singsuek Singphrai and Supachai Somcharoen also received royal endorsement.
With all the 250 regime-appointed senators guaranteed to vote for Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, who is the PPRP's prime ministerial candidate, the path is clear for him to reclaim the premiership during Wednesday's joint meeting.
However, the sources said that even if the PPRP forms a coalition government with Gen Prayut as its leader, the next government's stability will be in doubt without the support of the Democrat Party's 53 MPs.
Democrats have held back on making a decision about whether to join the coalition as they insist that the PPRP must clear up "its own problems" first, the sources said.
The party reportedly asked for the agriculture portfolio as one of its conditions to join the alliance after the PPRP made a formal invitation for it to join a coalition earlier this week.
Thai media have reported that the Sam Mitr group has also had its sights set on the Agriculture Ministry and perhaps might have been promised it by PPRP executives.
Democrat leader Jurin Laksanavisit on Friday said that the Democrats cancelled their meeting last Tuesday to decide whether to join the coalition because they wanted to give the PPRP some time to restore its "coherence".
Asked if the make-up of a coalition government should be clear before the prime ministerial vote is held in parliament, Mr Jurin said: "To be honest, this is a problem for the PPRP. That's why the Democrat Party had to cancel the meeting. Now, we'll have to give the PPRP some time to sort out their own problems and make a decision."
Mr Jurin also stressed that the party's demand for constitutional amendments and the incorporation of its election campaign pledges, especially income guarantees for farmers, into the next government's policy portfolio are key conditions for aligning with the PPRP.
Mr Jurin said that the current constitution makes it difficult to push for amendments. An amendment requires the support of more than half of the members of both houses, including at least 20% of MPs on the opposition bench.
This almost certainly shuts the door on the chance to amend the charter, he said.
The Democrats have proposed that charter amendments be initiated by the government itself to guarantee success, Mr Jurin said.
He added that the party would push for its election pledges to be included in the next government's policies.
The meeting of these two conditions is crucial to the Democrats deciding whether to join the PPRP coalition, Mr Jurin said.
Somsak Thepsuthin, leader of the PPRP's Sam Mitr group, yesterday dismissed rumours he would lead 30 MPs in defecting to the Pheu Thai Party unless his group gets the Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry portfolio.
He insisted he had never made such a threat and was willing to accept the PPRP's decisions involving the allocation of cabinet seats among the coalition.
However, when asked by reporters if the post of deputy agriculture minister would suffice, Mr Somsak said: "I'm not aiming for a deputy minister post." Mr Somsak also scotched rumours of a defection.
"I entered politics by joining the Social Action Party and I stayed there for a long time. When I joined the Thai Rak Thai Party, I was also with it until it was dissolved. Now that I'm with Palang Pracharath, I've never thought of leaving," said the veteran politician.
During the joint sitting, four MPs will also be sworn in before the sitting proceeds to vote for the new prime minister.
Three of them were endorsed by the Election Commission on Tuesday -- The Future Forward Party (FFP)'s Srinuan Boonlue who won the re-run in Chiang Mai's Constituency 8, Watanya Wongopasi, a candidate on the PPRP party's list, and Chitpas Kridakorn, a Democrat party-list candidate.
The other is an FFP MP for Nakhon Pathom Jumphita Chantharakachorn, who was absent from the first House sitting on May 24 when the other 496 MPs were sworn in due to health problems.