Thailand's People's Party poised to be kingmaker as rivals vie for premiership

The opposition People's Party does not want to join any government but with control of nearly a third of the house seats, it has emerged as a potential kingmaker and its backing could be a game-changer in breaking the political deadlock.

Parliament is due to hold a special session starting Wednesday and the secretary-general of the house told Reuters it is on standby to hold a vote on a new prime minister this week, if parties were ready to nominate a candidate.

Thailand was plunged into uncertainty on Friday when the Constitutional Court dismissed Paetongtarn for an ethics violation after only a year in office.

Her sacking triggered an instant political scramble, with her fragile coalition putting on a show of unity, as a renegade party that quit her alliance, mounted a challenge.

In the latest upheaval in a turbulent, two-decade battle for power and patronage among Thailand's rival elites, 39-year-old Paetongtarn was the sixth premier from or backed by the billionaire Shinawatra family to be ousted by the military or judiciary and the second in the space of a year.

The once-dominant Pheu Thai party, founded by Paetongtarn's deep-pocketed father Thaksin Shinawatra, faces a big task in shoring up a coalition that has haemorrhaged public support, opening the door to a spree of dealmaking by its former alliance partner Bhumjaithai and its ambitious leader Anutin Charnvirakul.

ALL TO PLAY FOR

With neither camp guaranteed the votes and much still to play for, the process to elect a prime minister could be protracted and there is no time limit on forming a new government.

With political interests shifting, bitter histories of betrayal and big war chests to work with, there is plenty of scope for switches in allegiance, bringing the prospect of deadlock at a time of weak growth and a dim outlook for Southeast Asia's second-biggest economy.

The spotlight is now on the progressive People's Party, a reincarnation of the party that won the 2023 election on an anti-establishment platform but was blocked from power by lawmakers allied with the royalist military.

It has said it will back any party that can commit to hold a referendum on amending the constitution and dissolve parliament within four months. The party will meet its lawmakers later on Monday to decide which camp to back, if any.

Bhumjaithai's leader Anutin went to the People's Party on Friday and said he had agreed to its conditions, as did the ruling Pheu Thai Party, which met the People's Party leadership on Sunday.

"We are in a political crisis, and there is a need to find a common solution," said Pheu Thai's Phumtham Wechayachai, the acting prime minister.

"We will leave it to the People's Party to decide."