News analysis

Thai govt 'unstable' but will pull through for now: Analysts

Defections threaten coalition's majority, but budget expected to pass without difficulty

Thai Deputy Agriculture Minister Thammanat Prompao (centre) speaking to the media in Bangkok on Tuesday. He has come under fire for his criminal past after evidence surfaced that he had been jailed in Australia over drug trafficking in the 1990s.
Thai Deputy Agriculture Minister Thammanat Prompao (centre) speaking to the media in Bangkok on Tuesday. He has come under fire for his criminal past after evidence surfaced that he had been jailed in Australia over drug trafficking in the 1990s. PHOTO: EPA-EFE
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The Thai government under Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha is unstable after the recent departure of two coalition parties, but analysts say it will pull through to stay in power for the short term.

Mr Prayut's coalition of 16 parties, led by Palang Pracharath, now has a slim majority of 252 seats in the 500-member Lower House, which means that a government win in Parliament is not guaranteed.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on September 12, 2019, with the headline Thai govt 'unstable' but will pull through for now: Analysts. Subscribe