In Thailand, where the military has been under strong influence since the coup d'état nine years ago, Pita of the progressive opposition Progressive Party, which became the first party in the last general election, gave an exclusive interview to NHK. In his speech, he stated that "we are about to take a step toward democratization and a new beginning" toward the formation of a coalition government led by him, and asked for the support of the international community, including Japan, toward the realization of democratization in Thailand.
Pita of the Progressive Party, which became the first party in the parliamentary election on March 14, gave an exclusive interview to NHK for the first time in Japan media on the 1th after agreeing with seven other parties this week to aim for a coalition government in which he will become prime minister.
Pita commented on the Progressive Party's victory in eliminating the influence of the military, saying, "The Thai people have lost hope until now, but they have raised their voices to say that they want to move to the future instead of returning to the past."
However, in order for him to be elected prime minister, he needs the support of not only elected members of the House of Representatives but also senators appointed under the military government, and it is uncertain whether a change of government will be realized.
Regarding this, Pita said, "Whether you like me or not, it is the values of Thailand that are being questioned," and urged the Senate to make a decision in accordance with the election results.
Regarding the formation of the coalition government, he stated, "We are now approaching a step toward democratization and a new beginning for Thailand, and we must restore transparency and trust in politicians, the government, and parliament," and called for support from the international community, including Japan, to realize democratization in Thailand.
On the other hand, with regard to foreign policy after the establishment of the new government, bearing in mind the movements of Russia and China, he clarified his stance against unilateral changes to the status quo by force, and stated that "the time has come for mid-sized countries, including Thailand, to have a voice in the confrontation between major powers." He expressed his intention to invigorate diplomacy as one of them.
Mr. Pita Profile
Pita, the leader of the Forward Party, is 42 years old.
He received his master's degrees from Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the United States.
He took over the management of a cooking oil company founded by his father upon his sudden death, and later grew the business and attracted attention as a young businessman.
In the last general election in 2019, he was elected for the first time to the House of Representatives of the New Future Party, which made a breakthrough to become the third largest party, advocating breaking away from military rule.
The following year, in 3, when the "New Future Party" was dissolved under the Prayuth administration and political activities of party officials were banned, he founded the "Forward Party" with members who belonged to the New Future Party and became its leader.
In this general election, the Progressive Party rapidly expanded its support by appealing for democratization, including reform of the monarchy system, and the Forward Party won the first seat.
After the election, Mr. Pita concluded an agreement with each political party to form a coalition government, and the Thai media reported the move every day, attracting a lot of attention as a candidate for the next prime minister.
However, it is a delicate situation whether a pro-democracy government with Mr. Pita as prime minister will be realized, as evidenced by conservatives close to the military and others who are close to the military and others have been talking about the suspension of Mr. Pita's parliamentary qualifications.