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Thailand’s Pheu Thai gain backing from rival party to form government

  • The UTN, the party that fielded former coup leader Prayuth Chan-ocha as its PM candidate, says it will help ‘to move the country forward together’
  • The nation has spent months under a caretaker government after the election-winning Move Forward Party leader was blocked twice in his bid to become premier

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Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha speaks to members of the media during a press conference after chairing a cabinet meeting at Government House in Bangkok in June.  Photo: AFP

Thailand’s Pheu Thai Party on Thursday gained support from a rival military-backed party, potentially boosting it in its bid to form a government ahead of a prime ministerial vote in parliament next week.

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The United Thai Nation Party or UTN, the party that fielded former coup leader Prayuth Chan-ocha as its prime ministerial candidate in the May election, said on Thursday that it will help Pheu Thai form a government.

Prayuth, who is currently caretaker prime minister, first came to power in a coup against a Pheu Thai-led government in 2014.

“United Thai Party will join the government with Pheu Thai,” UTN spokesman Akaradej Wongpitakroj told reporters on Thursday.

“We agree to join to move the country forward together,” he said.

Thailand has spent more than five months under a caretaker government after the leader of the election-winning Move Forward party was blocked twice by conservative and pro-army opponents in his bid to become premier.

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