The People's Party (PP) has yet to reach a consensus on which candidate to support in the upcoming parliamentary vote for the 32nd prime minister.
Parit Wacharasindhu, PP spokesperson, said Monday that the party has reviewed the conditions proposed by both the Pheu Thai Party and Bhumjaithai Party.
Mr Parit was speaking to the media shortly after emerging from a meeting with PP MPs and executives.
While internal opinions vary, the party shares a unified stance: If caretaker Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai decides to dissolve parliament, it would align with the PP's principles, he said. However, if dissolution does not occur and a new prime minister must be selected, the party sees two critical concerns, he said.
The PP aims to prevent a coalition between the Pheu Thai and Bhumjaithai factions, which could potentially form a majority government and remain in power for another two years, he said.
Mr Parit said that the past two years have caused significant damage to the country, and extending that trajectory would be detrimental.
He said the meeting was also concerned that the process could lead to the appointment of a prime minister outside democratic norms, which the party views as a serious threat.
"These concerns clarify why the People's Party cannot remain passive and allow the two major factions to form a government independently," he said.
"However, no final decision has been reached, and discussions remain ongoing," Mr Parit said. The PP will hold a regular meeting of MPs Tuesday, and he said he expects higher attendance than Monday. "Some MPs were engaged with local responsibilities and couldn't join Tuesday's deliberations. We are also still uncertain when parliament will convene to vote on the prime minister, which could be a factor in our decision-making."
The PP with 143 MPs, which is being aggressively courted by two competing sides seeking to form the next government, is the largest party in the House. It has emerged as the kingmaker following the dismissal of Paetongtarn Shinawatra from the prime minister's post by the Constitutional Court on Friday. The Pheu Thai and Bhumjaithai parties are both seeking the opposition party's backing for their respective prime ministerial candidates, Chaikasem Nitisiri and Anutin Charnvirakul.
Speaking ahead of a special session of party MPs Monday, Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut, a party-list MP and leader of the PP, stressed the importance of thorough internal deliberation and consideration of public sentiment.
Mr Natthaphong said that the meeting would likely involve a substantial exchange of views and debate among party members. Whether or not a final decision would be reached depended on the outcome of those discussions.
"As for whether we will hold a formal vote within the party, it will depend on whether we can reach a shared direction. If a unified stance is agreed upon, a vote may not be necessary. However, if opinions diverge significantly, we may need to proceed according to the party's formal procedures," he said.
He added that a number of factors must be considered, including various scenarios and potential risks. These matters, he said, would be discussed during the party's internal meeting. When asked whether the views of constituency MPs had been fully taken into account, Mr Natthapong responded that he believed they had. "Many have been actively listening to public opinion and will reflect those views in the meeting," he said.
Asked whether Mr Chaikasem had reached out to the PP, Mr Natthapong replied he had yet to be contacted directly. "I saw in the news that Mr Chaikasem himself said there has been no formal approach. I believe this is a matter of concern and something our members will take into account in making their decision. A prime ministerial candidate must be able to inspire public confidence," he said.
