Thailand is bracing for a period of political upheaval following the parliament’s decision to block Pita Limjaroenrat’s nomination as prime minister after his progressive opposition party’s victory in the May elections.
Pita, the leader of the Move Forward Party that emerged victorious in the May general election, faced opposition from conservative parties and the military-appointed Senate, ultimately hindering his chances to secure parliament’s backing.
A joint session debated Wednesday whether Pita could be nominated for a second time, and House Speaker Wan Muhamad Noor Matha put the question to a vote. Out of 715 MPs present, 395 voted against his second nomination, while 312 supported it, and eight abstained.
The eight-party pro-democracy coalition, led by Pita’s party, aims to put an end to nearly a decade of military-backed rule. However, with Pita now effectively out of the race, his coalition partners have an opportunity to seek the prime ministerial position. As per some reports, Pheu Thai, the second-largest party in the alliance, is now strategizing with other partners for the upcoming vote on July 27.
Though Srettha Thavisin, a prime ministerial candidate of Pheu Thai, on Thursday told the reporters “Today, we’re still bound by the MoU,” referring to the post-poll pact with Move Forward. How it proceeds “depends on the negotiation team,” he said while clarifying that it was still too early to say if his party will form a new alliance.
Protests
Supporters of Pita expressed discontent over the decision and gathered in protests outside the parliament and Bangkok’s Democracy Monument. Protest leader Arnon Nampa called for a 100,000-strong march to the government house in condemnation of Pita’s disqualification.
The situation bears similarities to past events when Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, leader of Move Forward’s predecessor party, faced similar disqualification and subsequent protests in 2020.
The delay in endorsing the country’s annual budget and the ongoing protests pose risks to Thailand’s economy, impacting investment and tourism. Investors’ concerns over the political deadlock pushed up borrowing costs for companies, while the political noise is expected to persist even after the prime ministerial selection concludes.
“We do not rule out the possibility that PM selection will spill over into August,” said Tim Leelahaphan, a Bangkok-based economist at Standard Chartered Bank Plc. “We expect political noise to rise further even after PM selection concludes, as it remains to be seen how voters will perceive the selected PM.”
Thai court suspends Pita as MP
Thailand’s Constitutional Court has ordered a temporary suspension of Pita Limjaroenrat from parliament after accepting a case against him alleging he was unqualified to run in the May elections because he held shares in a media company, in violation of electoral rules. In Thailand, members of parliament are banned from owning stock in media companies.
The Move Forward Party
The Move Forward Party, known for its promise of significant structural reforms, including changes to the military, economy, decentralization of power, and even monarchy reforms, enjoyed strong support in the record-turnout election.