Turmoil in Thailand as rivals derail Pita Limjaroenrat’s bid to be prime minister

A bitter battle to name Thailand’s next prime minister took a major turn on Wednesday as parliament voted to deny Pita Limjaroenrat – whose progressive Move Forward Party won a surprise victory in May’s election – a second chance to be confirmed for the post.

Pita had assembled a coalition of parties holding a majority in the House of Representatives. But his nomination for PM was defeated in a joint vote of the House and Senate last week, with military-appointed senators mostly refusing their support.

A new joint session on Wednesday debated whether he could be nominated for a second time – but then voted to deny the move, dashing the hopes of Pita’s millions of supporters.

Experts said Pita’s fall was virtually inevitable under the 2017 constitution, enacted under military rule, which gives non-elected senators a role in confirming prime ministers. It was designed to thwart billionaire populist Thaksin Shinawatra, whom the army ousted in a 2006 coup, but has now also been used to stop Pita.

Local reports said his supporters and pro-democracy activists have called for demonstrations.

It was the second blow suffered by Pita on Wednesday, after the constitutional court suspended him from parliament pending its ruling on whether he violated the constitution by running for office while holding shares in a media company, a charge he has denied. The court’s announcement would have still allowed Pita’s nomination and selection as prime minister.

Pita said he would comply with the court’s order to step down from his parliamentary post.“I think Thailand has changed, and will never be the same, since 14 May,” said Pita, referring to his party’s election victory. “The people have won half the way. There’s another half left. Although I still won’t get to perform my duty, I’d like to ask all members to help take care of the people from now on.”