Pita Limjaroenrat stood on the back of a truck, waving to hundreds of cheering supporters and signing autographs, a day after he led his Move Forward party to an extraordinary victory in Thailand's general election.
Behind him loomed a giant portrait of King Maha Vajiralongkorn, the head of a once seemingly untouchable institution that Move Forward has for the first time brought into public discourse in an election - a stance that may now complicate Pita's path to becoming prime minister.
Pita said he had spoken to five parties and proposed an alliance with 309 seats in the 500-member House of Representatives. But that is still short of the number needed to ensure he be elected prime minister, because a 250-member Senate appointed by a former military junta also votes for the top job.
"It will not be a smooth transition," said Prajak Kongkirati, a political scientist at Bangkok's Thammasat University.Beyond divergent economic policies, the two differ in their approach towards the monarchy. Such positions make other parties uneasy about aligning with Pita but, so far, the opposition appear to be sticking together.
Full-time politics came in 2019, when Pita entered parliament with 80 other members of the Future Forward Party. Youth-led street protests erupted months later, as thousands called for reforms, including a new constitution to replace one drafted during military rule, amid unprecedented public criticism of the monarchy's influence on politics and society."Move Forward takes the game to the next level with institutional reform," said Thitinan Pongsudhirak, who teaches political science at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Thai Move Forward leader seeks opposition alliance after election winThe leader of Thailand's opposition Move Forward Party said on Monday he had been in contact with at least five opposition parties on forming a coalition and warned any attempt to interfere in the election outcome will come at 'a hefty price'.
Read more »
Rep. McCaul on contempt proceedings for Secretary Blinken: 'I am prepared to move forward'House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul said that Congress will continue to pursue contempt charges for Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
Read more »
Young, Harvard-Educated Politician Shakes Up Thailand’s Old GuardIn Thailand’s election, the party of Harvard-educated businessman-turned politician Pita Limjaroenrat had an unexpected victory
Read more »
NHS scraps plans for Shrewsbury's GP hubThe move would have seen six GP surgeries move into a new health and wellbeing hub.
Read more »
Thailand's Senate could hold the key for hopeful election winnerThailand's Move Forward party announced on Monday that it had sufficient votes to form a coalition government but a military-appointed Senate, the party's position on a royal insult law and a complaint against its leader may stand in the way.
Read more »
Instant View: Political analysts, business groups react to Thailand election resultsThailand's opposition leader Pita Limjaroenrat said on Monday he was ready to become the next prime minister, after his Move Forward Party finished first in an election that crushed parties allied with the military-backed establishment.
Read more »