Thailand's Constitutional Court said on Thursday it needs more time to consider whether the Thai parliament's decision to bar election winner Pita Limjaroenrat from being nominated as prime minister was constitutional.
Pita Limjaroenrat (center), leader of the Forward Party, has little chance of becoming Thailand's new prime minister . Photo: AP
The Forward Party came first in the May election and assembled an eight-party coalition with 312 seats in the 500-member Thai House of Representatives, but it was not enough to win the final vote, as the majority of the 250 members of the Thai Senate did not support the party's young leader.
Several senators, who were appointed by the previous military government, said they would not vote for Pita because of the Forward Party's calls for reform of Thailand's lese majeste laws.
After Pita was barred from voting in the second prime minister election, several complaints were filed claiming that the move violated the constitution. When the case was filed in court last week, the Thai parliament postponed the vote but rescheduled it a few days later, although the court has yet to make a decision.
The court said in a statement Thursday that it will meet again on August 16 to decide whether to accept the petition. If accepted, the court could order a postponement of the vote until it issues a ruling.
Regardless of the court’s ruling, Mr. Pita’s chances of being re-nominated appear slim. In addition to his legal troubles and senatorial disapproval, the latest twist came Wednesday when Pheu Thai announced that it had been kicked out of the eight-party coalition.
Pheu Thai Party leader Chonlanan Srikaew said the party does not support Move Forward's call to amend the law and will form a new coalition, and nominate its candidate Srettha Thavisin as prime minister.
Huy Hoang (according to AP, CNA)
Source
Comment (0)