The News
Thailand’s Constitutional Court on Wednesday dismissed a petition to renominate Pita Limjaroenrat, a leading candidate, as the country’s next prime minister.
Mr. Pita, 42, led the progressive Move Forward Party to a surprise victory in the general election in May. But last month, the military-appointed Senate voted against him when he was nominated as prime minister by a new coalition.
After he lost the initial vote, Parliament moved to block Mr. Pita from being renominated. The country’s ombudsman filed a petition to the Constitutional Court arguing that the move was unconstitutional.
In dismissing the petition on Wednesday, the Court explained that it needed to be filed directly by the “affected party.”
Many critics cited Move Forward’s refusal to back down on a pledge to amend a law that criminalizes criticism of Thailand’s powerful monarchy as the reason for the Court’s decision.
Why It Matters: Democracy is on the decline in Thailand.
The court’s ruling on Wednesday served as a reminder of the ways in which democracy has been consistently thwarted in Thailand.
Earlier this month, Pheu Thai, which had been the second-biggest party in Mr. Pita’s coalition, parted ways with Move Forward when senators and conservative lawmakers confirmed that the policy to amend the law against criticizing the monarchy was the “main condition” preventing them from supporting the new coalition.
Pheu Thai, a populist party co-founded by former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, said on Tuesday it would nominate Srettha Thavisin, a real estate tycoon, as its prime minister candidate.
Move Forward, which has 151 seats in the 500-member House of Representatives, said it would not support Mr. Srettha as prime minister, calling such a move tantamount to ignoring the election results and bowing to the junta. The party confirmed on Tuesday that it also had no plans to renominate Mr. Pita.
What’s Next: A new vote is set for late August.
Move Forward’s decision not to support Mr. Srettha will make it more difficult for Pheu Thai to form a government without teaming up with political rivals, including the military and conservative lawmakers.
Mr. Srettha is also facing allegations that he was involved in inappropriate business dealings when he was the chief executive of Sansiri, his real estate company. He has denied the charges.
Pheu Thai’s deputy leader, Phumtham Wechayachai, said he was confident that Mr. Srettha would succeed in the vote and that a new government would be formed by early September.
The next vote for prime minister will take place in Parliament on Aug. 22, the House speaker, Wan Muhamad Noor Matha, said. He added that in the coming days, the parliamentary legal team as well as Senate and political party whips would convene to discuss the Constitutional Court’s move.