Thailand’s opposition party on Monday called a special parliament session to prove it has the backing to form a government with its leader at the helm, but the former ruling party refused to back down.
Senior opposition Democrat Party members said they would nominate their 44-year-old leader Abhisit Vejjajiva as prime minister, as the nation reels from months of protests and political paralysis.
The Democrats say they have wooed four smaller parties away from the former ruling People Power Party (PPP), which was aligned with controversial ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
The PPP was dissolved by a court last week and prime minister Somchai Wongsawat forced from office, but Thaksin’s allies have regrouped in the Puea Thai (For Thais) party and insist they can still muster the support to govern.
The fierce power struggle comes after the November 25 to December 3 blockade of Bangkok’s main airport by a royalist anti-government protest group, which brought Thailand to a standstill and badly dented the nation’s image abroad.
"The Democrat Party is confident that it will form the government, even if there are pressures against MPs who support the Democrats to switch their support to Puea Thai," Abhisit told reporters.
The party’s secretary general Suthep Tuagsuban said he was confident of the support of nearly two-thirds of the 447 lawmakers in the lower house.
House Speaker Chai Chidchob confirmed he had received a letter requesting an emergency session, signed by 242 parliamentarians. Veteran Democrat MP Akom Angchuan said the house could convene between December 12 and 26.
Representatives from the small parties have confirmed they have switched sides but last-minute horse trading could see allegiances change – something that Puea Thai is banking on to hang on to power.
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