BANGKOK, July 4 – Pheu Thai party leader Yingluck Shinawatra on Monday announced that her party, which gained a majority of votes in the July 3 election, will join forces with four smaller parties to form a coalition government.
The five parties to form the new government are Pheu Thai, the Chartthaipattana party, Chart Pattana Puea Pandin, Palang Chon and Mahachon with 299 seats in total, Ms Yingluck, who is set to become Thailand’s first female prime minister, told a press conference at the SC Park Hotel.
Pheu Thai won a majority of 265 seats out of the total 500 parliament seats.
The five parties jointly announced their intention to work together to lead the country to national reconciliation, the sister of ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra said, to build national reconciliation is the new government’s top priority.
She said the independent Truth and Reconciliation panel, chaired by Kanit Na Nakorn and set up by the Democrat-led government, will continue its work.
Moreover, the new government will be prepared to arrange celebrations for HM the King’s 84th birthday to wish him well and to show loyalty to the monarch. King Bhumibol’s birthday falls on December 5.
Other pressing issues to be tackled by the new government are to revive the economy by resolving the rising cost of living and commodities and to restore bilateral ties with neighbouring countries.
Government officials’ morale will be boosted as they are the key to drive the country forward, she said.
The new government will work to fight corruption and the government’s work will be transparent and can be scrutinised.
The businesswoman-turned-politician said the policies that she pledged to translate into action during her party’s final campaign rally at Rajamangala National Stadium on July 1 will be discussed with the coalition partners for implementation to solve the problems of the people.
