Bangkok: "Pipat" emphasizes that the policies of the coalition parties must not conflict with those of Bhumjaithai. Pipat views government stability as a priority, aiming for 300 seats. He emphasizes that coalition party policies must not conflict with Bhumjaithai Party's stance, clarifying the situation after several polling stations demanded a recount.
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Pipat Ratchakitprakarn, a key figure in the Bhumjaithai Party overseeing the southern region, commented on the direction of government formation, stating that no discussions have taken place yet. He noted that the Election Commission has counted 95% of the votes, and therefore, they want to wait for complete clarity before beginning discussions. Ultimately, the decision rests with Mr. Anutin Charnvirakul, as the party leader and member of the party's executive committee.
Regarding the view that fewer coalition partners are better, Mr. Pipat said it's not necessary. He emphasized that it's crucial to consider what will ensure the government's stability, which is paramount. He believes an appropriate number is close to 300 seats.
When asked whether the term "stability," in addition to the numbers, needed to include the list of political parties, Mr. Pipat said it wasn't necessary. He didn't see it as a limitation, because ultimately, we need to look at the policies each party campaigned on and whether those policies conflict with Bhumjaithai's. If there are no conflicts, we will discuss and deliberate.
Regarding how long the government formation process will take, Mr. Pipat said it depends on whether the Election Commission certifies the constituency MPs smoothly, and after that, the leader of the Bhumjaithai Party will be the one to negotiate.
When asked if he had any concerns regarding calls for a recount in some areas, Pipat said that the recount might be due to errors within the polling stations, possibly related to the polling station officials or supporters who are still uncertain, leading to demands for a recount. He considered this unusual and said it needed to be clarified.
When asked whether the number of MPs elected from the southern region met the target, Mr. Pipat said that it did, securing 31 seats. He stated that they had tried their best, although there were some regrettable aspects. However, everything proceeded according to statistics, as eight of the incumbent MPs were lost, but new MPs compensated for the shortfall.
When asked about the case of people in the South who voted against amending the constitution in the referendum, Mr. Pipat said he was unaware of the specifics, but that he saw approximately 19 million people in the South voting for amendments, while about 10 million voted against. He added that it was clear the need for amendments and urged people not to focus on specific regions, but rather to look at the overall picture of the country.