Parliament Votes On PM Candidate Today

Today both houses of parliament will vote on whether to approve Pheu Thai candidate Srettha as PM. The vote was delayed while the Constitutional Court decided whether a candidate could be renominated but that was disallowed last Wednesday. Political uncertainty since May’s election has weighed on the baht but after reaching a high of 35.60 last Thursday USDTHB is down 1.2% to 35.15.

• PM candidate Srettha may struggle to gain support from the 61 senators he needs to become PM as the senate review into his tax affairs has raised more questions. Srettha denies the accusations. Pheu Thai’s commitment to reform the constitution is also putting some offside. Another senator has said that Srettha should receive around 190 votes from the senate, as they want the impasse to end. If he fails, Pheu Thai has two other candidates.
• Pheu Thai announced its coalition of 11 parties on Monday which gives it 314 seats in the House of Representatives, a majority. But it includes the pro-military UTN and PPRP who will receive 2 ministries each. Election winners Move Forward have said it won’t support a Pheu Thai PM candidate because it has joined with military-backed parties, according to the Bangkok Post. A NIDA poll showed 47.7% “totally” disagreed with Pheu Thai cooperating with PPRP and UTN.
• The new coalition will continue to form an assembly to make the constitution “more democratic” but the parts relating to the monarchy will not be altered.
• Former PM Thaksin is scheduled to return to Thailand today after 15 years in exile but is expected to be charged and possibly face jail.