Nearly 40 ex-MPs have joined Bhumjaithai Party

By Thai Newsroom Reporters

NEARLY 40 FORMER MPs have today (Dec.16) showed up at the Bhumjaithai Party headquarters where they have freshly registered themselves as partisan members with reported intent to contest the next general election under the tickets of the second-largest coalition partner.

Those ex-MPs have earlier resigned as members of the Palang Pracharath, Pheu Thai and Move Forward, among others, thus immediately losing their MP status, to jump onto the bandwagon of the Bhumjaithai, steered by de facto party boss Newin Chidchob.

They are all confident of getting reelected in the nationwide election under the banners of the Bhumjaithai which has reportedly intended to name party leader Anutin Charnvirakul as partisan candidate for prime minister.

The Bhumjaithai is more or less anticipated to win more MP seats than in the 2019 general election which saw 51 candidates vying under the tickets of Newin’s camp elected as MPs and to play a pivotal role in a future coalition though head of a post-election government could probably be anyone else other than Anutin.

Meanwhile, House Speaker Chuan Leekpai today confirmed that the current number of MPs now totaled 439, thus rendering a minimum of 220 MPs to make a House quorum. That compared to an original total of 500 MPs.

Many have already quit as elected lawmakers in order to leave one party for another, mostly for Newin’s camp, thus immediately losing their MP status.

No by-election for MP is warranted by law to find replacements for those who may have resigned within a 180-day period ahead of March 24, the date on which the House’s four-year term is scheduled to end.

CAPTIONS:

Bhumjaithai party leader Anutin Charnvirakul with partisan members today, Dec. 16, 2022. Top photo: INN News, Front Page photo: Thai Rath

Also read: Two party-hopping MPs quit in prelude to 40-plus others

Only one-third of party-hopping MPs to get reelected: Chonlanan

Prayut’s chances of prolonging rule getting slim: Academic

Prayut shrugs off remarks on leaving Prawit’s camp

Analysis: Thaksin’s homecoming bid may fall through without help from kingmaker

Prawit tipped to get more votes than any others for PM

Most Esaan constituents prefer Thaksin’s daughter for PM: Poll

Pheu Thai Party disagrees with bid to dissolve Palang Pracharath Party

Pheu Thai-Palang Pracharath coalition ‘impossible’ if Prayut endorsed for PM again

Thaksin encourages Prayut to live out House term, then go home for good