July 19, 2023, 06:48 PM
Thailand's National Assembly has blocked Prime Minister hopeful Pita Limjaroenrat's re-nomination on Jul. 19.
Parliament voted 394-312 against Pita's renomination.#Thailand #ประชุมสภา #โหวตนายกรอบ2 #ศาลรัฐธรรมนูญ #ม็อบ19กรกฎา66 pic.twitter.com/zAhfzEVFWw
— Thai Enquirer (@ThaiEnquirer) July 19, 2023
This means that Pita, the sole candidate for Thailand’s premier and leader of opposition Move Forward Party (MFP), has failed in his second bid to be elected as Prime Minister.
Second PM vote
The National Assembly, consisting of senators and MPs, was due to vote for the country’s new prime minister for the second time today.
It was Pita’s second bid at the PM role, after receiving 51 votes short of the 375 needed in the first voting on Jul. 13.
This time, Thailand's parliament voted 394-312 to block his re-nomination, out of the 715 lawmakers present.
They earlier deliberated on the issue, with some parliamentarians raising the matter of whether his candidacy could actually be tabled for a second time.
Junta-appointed senator Somchai Sawaengkarn told parliament #Pita's name cannot be tabled for a second PM vote in the current parliament session. #Thailand #WhatsHappeningInThailand #พิธี #โหวตนายกรอบ2 pic.twitter.com/kAWipbWsfl
— Pravit Rojanaphruk (@PravitR) July 19, 2023
MFP PM candidate #Pita Limjaroenrat was the only name tabled for the vote today. UTN MP Akkaradet insist the same motion cannot be put forward again "unless there's a major change". #Thailand #WhatsHappeningInThailand #โหวตนายกรอบ2 #พิธา pic.twitter.com/RzTLM9RH86
— Pravit Rojanaphruk (@PravitR) July 19, 2023
This referred to Rule 41, which states that if a motion that was tabled fails to be approved in parliament, it cannot be tabled for a second vote, according to Thai PBS World.
Prior to the Jul. 13 vote, lawmakers also focused on MFP’s proposal to reform Thailand's powerful Lese Majeste law, which prohibits and penalises any criticism of the monarchy.
Suspension as MP
Earlier in the day, the Constitutional Court also suspended Pita as an MP, while he received the official advisory letter around 2:40pm, according to Bangkok Post.
BREAKING
Pita has been suspended as an MP until the constitutional court verdict on his status due to media share holdings. pic.twitter.com/KiLZO6BpQb
— Thai Enquirer (@ThaiEnquirer) July 19, 2023
He will remain suspended until a verdict is issued by the court.
Legal woes
On Jul. 12, Thailand's Election Commission (EC) had said that it will seek a court ruling on whether Pita should be disqualified.
He has shares in a supposedly defunct media company iTV, which could be regarded as a violation of election laws.
Separately, on Jul. 12, the court also accepted a complaint against him and his MFP for proposing to amend the Lese Majeste law.
If found guilty of attempting to overthrow the constitutional monarchy system, he could be banned from politics, while his party may face dissolution.
Earlier, supporters of MFP gathered outside parliament in light of the Constitutional Court's move, while police officers attempted to maintain order.
Police remind Move Forward Party supporters outside Parliament through loudspeakers by reciting a poem. "If Thais kill Thais, who will listen to the singing of the nat'l anthem?" #Thailand #WhatsHappeningInThailand #โหวตนายกรอบ2 #ศาลรัฐธรรมนูญ #พิธา https://t.co/OR3AMsFg9d
— Pravit Rojanaphruk (@PravitR) July 19, 2023
Some protesters have ignited flares.
The police have ordered them to cease.
The situation remains uncertain.#Thailand #พิธา #โหวตนายกรอบ2 #ศาลรัฐธรรมนูญ pic.twitter.com/rf7eSLMBfB
— Thai Enquirer (@ThaiEnquirer) July 19, 2023
Acknowledgement of suspension
Before leaving the chamber, Pita appealed to his fellow parliamentarians to take good care of the people.
“I would like to take the opportunity to say goodbye until we meet again,” he said.
“Thailand has changed since May 14. The people have already won halfway. Even though I'm not carrying out my duties, I’m asking my fellow MPs to help take care of the people."
พิธา ลิ้มเจริญรัตน์ @Pita_MFP หัวหน้าพรรคก้าวไกล แคนดิเดตนายกรัฐมนตรี กล่าวในสภา
— พรรคก้าวไกล - Move Forward Party (@MFPThailand) July 19, 2023
"เนื่องจากศาลรัฐธรรมนูญมีคำสั่งให้ผมหยุดปฏิบัติหน้าที่ชั่วคราว จึงขอใช้โอกาสกล่าวอำลาประธานจนกว่าเราจะพบกันใหม่ และฝากเพื่อนสมาชิกในการใช่รัฐสภาดูแลพี่น้องประชาชนต่อไป… pic.twitter.com/dqkbkQve9S
Pita also posted on his Instagram account, admitting that it was insufficient just to win the people’s trust to run the country, as he still needed the Senate’s approval.
“But then suddenly, it's not enough to run for a second time,” he wrote.
In a later post, he uploaded a video with the caption “I’ll be back”.
He can be seen raising his fist into the air, removing his MP tag and leaving the chamber, to the applause of lawmakers.
Alternative PM candidate
In a video posted on Jul. 15, Pita himself said that he is prepared to step aside for a coalition partner in order to form the government, should he fail to become prime minister again.
He noted that his party would be prepared to step aside in favour of coalition partner Pheu Thai.
Pheu Thai won 141 seats in parliament, a narrow second after MFP’s 151 seats.
Srettha Thavisin
According to one of Pheu Thai's PM candidates, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, the party will be nominating property tycoon Srettha Thavisin for the third round of PM voting if Pita failed, The Nation reported.
Noting that the “best choice” for PM is Srettha, she was confident in his abilities to deal with Thailand’s economic woes.
If Pheu Thai does not become the coalition leader, it will still support the MFP’s eight-party coalition, Paetongtarn was quoted as saying.
Srettha has also expressed his readiness in taking on the PM role and noted that Pheu Thai's priority would be to focus on the country's slowing economy, according to the Bangkok Post.
However, Bhumjaithai Party’s leader Anutin Charnvirakul reportedly said that his party will not support Pheu Thai's PM candidate as they remained in a coalition with MFP.
BREAKING: Bhumjai Thai Party leader Anutin Charnveerakul said Wednesday his party will not support Pheu Thai Party PM candidate as long as they are still in a coalition with Move Forward Party. #Thailand #whatshappeningThailand #โหวตนายกรอบ2 #นายกส้มหล่น pic.twitter.com/LItNgNGJog
— Khaosod English (@KhaosodEnglish) July 19, 2023
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Top image via Instagram/@pita.ig
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