A Thai eight-party alliance will name its candidate for Prime Minister two days ahead of the parliamentary vote on the
The Eight-party alliance of Thailand is expected to announce a new PM candidate to lead the coalition | Photo: Lillian Suwanrumpha/AFP
A Thai eight-party alliance will name its candidate for Prime Minister two days ahead of the parliamentary vote on the premiership.
Thai parliamentary procedure stipulates a candidate must receive support from the democratically elected lower house and from the militarily-dominated upper house. One expected candidate for Prime Minister is Srettha Thavisin, a property tycoon, who is seen by Thai political commentators as a more acceptable candidate by the Thai military, who has dominated the political processes since a 2014 coup.
Recent election results have generated the strongest political opposition to the military-dominated rule since 2014. Reformist party Move Forward won the most seats, so it’s leader Pita Limjaroenrat, who has run on a platform of major economic and political reform, was expected to be nominated as Prime Minister.
However, the military-influenced Constitutional court alleged that Pita had violated campaign laws, which stipulate that a member of the National Assembly cannot own stock in any media company, thereby disqualifying him. This decision was met with outrage from Move Forward voters in Bangkok, who protested what is seen by many as further military interference in the democratic process. If found guilty by the court, he will be banned from serving as a politician for 20 years and could face up to 10 years in jail.
