The United Thai Nation Party (UTN), Prayut Cha-o-cha’s former party, has announced its readiness to join a Pheu Thai-led government.

On 17 August 2023, Akaradech Wongpitakroj, the UTN’s spokesperson, told a press conference that the UTN’s negotiation team has officially engaged in discussions about forming a government with the Pheu Thai Party. Both parties agree on the UTN’s participation in a Pheu Thai-led government to move the nation forward and foster unity.

Akaradech stated that the party’s position is against forming a coalition with any party that aims to amend Section 112, known as the royal defamation law. Pheu Thai, as leader of the government coalition, has asserted that any such party will not be included in the government.

He also addressed reports from some media outlets about negotiations for ministerial positions, stating that such negotiations have yet to happen. He noted that the agreement reached today is a fundamental understanding that the UTN will join a government with Pheu Thai.

When asked whether there need to be discussions regarding the ministerial quota for the UTN before the third PM vote on 22 August 2023, the spokesperson said that there is still time for that. He added that the responsibility for discussing the details lies with the negotiation team.

Following the election win of Move Forward Party (MFP), the country has spent months under a caretaker government led by Gen Prayut, who seized power in the 2014 coup. However, MFP’s leader Pita Limjaroenrat, has been twice barred from becoming PM. 

The second-ranked Pheu Thai Party has taken on the task of forming a government without the MFP in the coalition.