Accordingly, the Bhumjaithai Party announced that it had reached an agreement with the People's Party - the largest opposition force - to form a new government in Thailand.
This development is seen as a way out of the political crisis that has lasted for many months, and at the same time paving the way for an early general election.
In a statement broadcast on the evening of August 29, Bhumjaithai affirmed that the party leadership had authorized Chairman Anutin Charnvirakul to form a ruling coalition with the support of the People's Party - which holds the most seats in the House of Representatives.
In principle, the People's Party must be the one to lead the new government. However, due to legal barriers, they cannot nominate a prime minister internally. Faced with this power vacuum, Bhumjaithai accepted all the requests of the People's Party and officially signed the agreement.
According to The Nation, the newly appointed government is only temporary, focusing on resolving urgent security, economic and social issues. The focus of the agreement is on reforming the constitution and returning voters' right to decide.
The three key conditions that Bhumjaithai Party committed to include: The new Prime Minister will have to dissolve the House of Representatives within 4 months after presenting the policy framework;
The cabinet will organize a public consultation on amending the 2017 Constitution, to allow the establishment of a directly elected National Assembly;
The People's Party will not participate in the cabinet, continuing to be in an opposite position to closely monitor the government.
Notably, the deal has left Ms. Paetongtarn Shinawatra - a figure that has attracted much attention in recent months - and her Pheu Thai Party completely out of the process of forming a government. This is considered a turning point that changes the balance of power, when Pheu Thai is considered one of the forces capable of breaking the deadlock.
At the party headquarters, after meeting with the leader of the Natthapong Ruangpanyawut People's Party, Mr. Anutin affirmed: "All conditions have been accepted without any hesitation. From now on, we will consult with other parties to ensure a sufficient majority to form a government".
Observers assess that Bhumjaithai's cooperation with the People's Party is a temporary solution but is capable of removing political explosions. If the scenario goes as agreed, Thailand will head into a new election next year, opening up the opportunity to rewrite the political rules with a new version of the Constitution.
Meanwhile, the absence of Ms. Paetongtarn and the Pheu Thai Party in the ruling agreement is sparking many controversies: whether this is a tactical retreat or a sign that the Thai government is entering a completely different stage.
