In Thailand, it’s complicated

Pita Limjaroenrat, the leader of the progressive Move Forward Party (left, in blue suit), saw his prime ministerial hopes evaporate on July 19 as members of the upper house Senate blocked his nomination for a second parliamentary vote on who should take the reins as Thailand’s new PM.

Pita’s party was the biggest winner in the May 14 general election but now he has agreed to step aside and allow Pheu Thai, one of his allies, to nominate one of its own for prime minister. Pheu Thai (depicted in this cartoon holding hands with Pita) has pledged to stick with Move Forward in their joint efforts to form the next government. 

But many observers wonder whether Pheu Thai, the party associated with exiled former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, will keep its word or dump Pita. Over the weekend, Pheu Thai officials met with Bhumjaithai, a party whose leader, a former health minister, pushed for the decriminalization of marijuana, as well as parties with ties to the junta that overthrew an elected government in a military coup in 2014.