Rival party backs Pheu Thai in bid to form govt

Thailand's Pheu Thai party yesterday received a boost in its efforts to form a government after a ninth party joined its alliance and a senior member of a rival, military-backed party pledged its support to try to end months of deadlock.

Thailand has gone nearly five months under a caretaker government after the election-winning Move Forward party leader's bid for premier was blocked twice by conservative and pro-army opponents.

Move Forward's former ally, the second-place Pheu Thai party, last week took the lead in trying to form a government and is expected to face the same opposition.

Pheu Thai is set to nominate real estate tycoon Srettha Thavisin for premier and needs the support of more than half the bicameral legislature including the royalist-dominated upper house.

Previous Pheu Thai governments, backed by the billionaire Shinawatra family, were ousted by military coups in 2006 and 2014, when its interests clashed with the country's powerful old money elites and royalist military.