Top Thai Parties Name Prem as Choice for Premier

Prem Tinsulanonda, prime minister for the past six years, appeared Friday to be assured of another term when leaders of the top parties in last Sunday’s parliamentary elections named the retired general as their nominee.

Bhichai Rattakul, head of the Democrat Party, which finished first with 100 of the 347 seats, called on Prem at his Bangkok home Friday morning, together with the leaders of three other top winners, the Social Action, Chart Thai (Thai Nation) and Rassadorn parties.

The four parties have been negotiating the formation of a ruling coalition. Combined, they would hold 232 seats in the new House of Representatives, a solid majority.

During the campaign, Bhichai had insisted that the new prime minister should be an elected member of Parliament and said that he was a candidate for the job. But his proposed coalition partners favored retaining Prem, who did not run, and Bhichai evidently has given way to the consensus choice.

May Fill Main Posts

Banyat Bantadtan, the Democrats’ deputy leader, told reporters that Prem would be entitled to fill the important Cabinet posts of defense, finance and interior. Prem was both prime minister and defense minister in the last government.

In the days since the election, support for Prem, sometimes grudging, has come from almost all the parties that won seats. The only outspoken opposition to returning the 66-year-old general to the top government office has come from student demonstrators, who have branded as a setback for democracy the constitutional loophole that allows a non-elected citizen to be named prime minister.

Once the coalition supporting Prem is formed, King Bhumibol Adulyadej would authorize his appointment by royal decree.

No major changes in domestic or foreign policy are expected under the new government. Politically, the major difference would be that Prem would rule without direct bureaucratic challenge from Gen. Arthit Kamlang-ek, whom he fired as army commander in May.