Thai Party Chasing Election Landslide Keeps Door Open for Tie-Up With Like-Minded Groups
- Pheu Thai expects to win enough seats to lead next government
- Easing cost of living, reviving economy top party’s agenda
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Thailand’s most popular political party is open to forming a government with like-minded groups if its array of populist proposals, including an immediate handout of about $16 billion, fails to secure what it calls a “landslide” win.
Pheu Thai, which leads in most pre-poll surveys, will not form an alliance with the military-backed conservative parties headed by former coup-leaders, said Srettha Thavisin, a high-profile former real estate mogul running as one of the party’s three prime ministerial candidates. The party is backed by ousted leader Thaksin Shinawatra, an enduring yet polarizing figure in Thai politics whose term was marked by allegations of corruption.