Prayut congratulates Prawit after EC endorses him as PPRP party-list MP

Prayut was speaking to reporters after attending the caretaker Cabinet’s weekly meeting on Tuesday.

“I would like to congratulate General Prawit Wongsuwon, leader of Palang Pracharath, for his endorsement as the party’s first party-list MP,” Prayut said.

The Election Commission endorsed all 400 constituency-based MPs and 100 party-list MPs on Monday.

PPRP won 39 constituency MP seats and one party-list seat. Prawit contested the election as the first party-list candidate for PPRP.

When asked to comment on rumours that Prawit may become the next premier, Prayut said he did not know how this could happen because PPRP had come fourth in the number of MPs. He added that things would unfold in line with the political process.

Prayut had contested as PPRP’s sole PM candidate in 2019, but for the May 14 election, he contested as the United Thai Nation Party (UTNP)’s PM candidate.

His party lags behind PPRP, winning 23 constituency-based seats and 13 party-list seats.

Prayut said he also wanted to congratulate first-time election winners and hopes they would stay to complete their four-year term.

He also said that the two largest parties – Move Forward and Pheu Thai – would be fighting over the House speaker’s post and that the UTNP would not be in the fray. However, he said, his party would follow the majority in the vote.

The caretaker PM added that he wanted the next government to be formed as soon as possible because there are many issues waiting to be resolved. He said the caretaker government has limited powers and cannot handle too many issues and projects, especially those that require massive funds.

Prayut added that no extra security will be required when MPs vote for the new House speaker because order can be maintained by the security detail in Parliament.

He also told reporters he hopes nothing untoward would happen on that day.