Bangkok: The leader of Thailand's liberal Move Forward Party declared on Thursday that he was confident in his ability to succeed Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, despite claims to the contrary from senators chosen by the junta.

MFP surprised observers by winning the most votes in the election on Sunday, which saw a record number of voters hand army-affiliated parties—which had ruled the kingdom for almost a decade—a crushing defeat.

Pita Limjaroenrat, the leader of the MFP, formed a new coalition with two additional minor parties, giving it 313 of the 500 seats in the lower house. The 42-year-old Harvard-educated Pita told reporters in Bangkok on Thursday that "we have a lot of momentum" and that "my coalition is taking shape."

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As the leader of the Move Forward Party, he declared that "all parties support me" in his bid to become Thailand's 30th prime minister.

Although the coalition has a sizable majority to govern, in order to become prime minister, it must secure majorities in both houses, including the Senate, whose 250 members were chosen by the previous junta.

The royalist-military conservative establishment is alarmed by MFP's determination to change Thailand's strict laws against insulting King Maha Vajiralongkorn.

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The Bhumjaithai party announced on Wednesday that it would not support Pita, closing a potential loophole created by the senators who have already declared they will vote against him. The coalition agreement falls short by 63 seats of the 376 votes required for a majority in both houses.

Pita, however, downplayed the difficulties. "I have no concerns about establishing the government. I have faith that it will happen. I have a plan and goals that are very clear," he declared.

Pita stated that the eight coalition parties were committed to reaching an amicable solution regarding lese-majese reform, which is in and of itself a significant development given that for many years even discussing the subject was taboo.

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Convictions for royal defamation carry a maximum 15-year prison sentence. MFP claims it wants to lower this cap and limit who can make accusations; at the moment, anyone can contact the police and file a report.

The election on Sunday was the first since large-scale, youth-led pro-democracy demonstrations in Bangkok broke a long-standing taboo by calling for restrictions on the king's authority and spending.