Thailand: PM plays down calls for national govt

• Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has poured cold water on the idea of a national government to save the country from political deadlock, saying the law must be studied carefully, but it would be premature to entertain the idea of a national government where there is no opposition.
• This delay in the results of the exact number of list seats parties have won has raised concerns of a political stalemate, as no single bloc of parties appears able to clinch an outright majority.
• On some politicians’ suggestion that a national government may be the way out, the PM said that the idea may not be tenable as they would need to look at what the law and the constitution say about it first.
• Jade Donavanik, chairman of the Faculty of Law at the College of Asian Scholars, said that although the charter provides leeway for a national government to be established, it is difficult to put into practice, adding that the political situation is not likely to escalate into an impasse that would warrant such a government being formed.
• Others have split opinions, with a key Democrat Party figure saying that it is too premature to discuss the notion given that the election results have not been finalised whilst a Pheu Thai Party Member of Parliament (MP) -elect said an idea of a national government should not be ruled out in the event of a political crisis.

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