Thai politician Pita Limjaroenrat’s renewed attempt to win parliament’s support to become the next prime minister was overshadowed by a court decision to suspend his status as a lawmaker, highlighting the many hurdles the pro-democracy leader faces in his quest to end nearly a decade of military rule.
The Constitution Court suspended Pita from parliament Wednesday, pending a verdict on a case brought on by the Election Commission. The poll panel has sought Pita’s disqualification as lawmaker after it found the Move Forward Party leader to be in breach of election rules — related to his stake in a now-defunct media company.
While the suspension doesn’t affect Pita’s ability to contest for the prime minister’s job, it represents the many challenges he faces in that quest. Conservative lawmakers and the military-appointed senators Wednesday made a case for not letting Pita run for the top job a second time, after his candidature was rejected in a previous sitting less than a week ago. They cited a parliamentary rule that disallows failed motions from being taken up again in the same session.
Even if the National Assembly, which convened at 9:30 a.m. in Bangkok, does find Pita eligible for a re-vote after the debate, it doesn’t mean he has succeeded. Pita would still need to win enough support from the military-appointed Senate to become prime minister, under electoral rules designed by the royalist establishment after a 2014 coup.
With the odds stacked against Pita, his Move Forward Party stares at a potential setback in its efforts to form the next government. That will also see further delays in government formation, which risks paralyzing policymaking and constraining an economy whose recovery is already lagging regional peers.
If Pita were to somehow manage winning the Senate’s support later Wednesday, there’s still another legal challenge that threatens to disband his party. If events of the past week are any indication, senators are unlikely to back Pita as they are against his reforms agenda, including the proposed loosening of Thailand’s lese majeste law. The act punishes anyone found defaming, insulting or threatening the king or other royals.
While none of the conservative parties extended support to Pita last week, only 13 senators voted for him then. That took the total ‘for’ votes in his basket to 324 in the combined 749-member parliament — 51 short of the 375 needed to secure the top job. The original strength of the house was 750 before one senator resigned last week.
Pita earlier Wednesday urged senators to respect the will of the people and end the political deadlock through their vote. He also said that their opposition to him is not solely because of Move Forward’s platform to amend the royal insult law, but because the party’s pledge to dismantle monopolies was a threat to their business interests.
“You know you can’t cite this reason, so you resorted to accusing us of disloyalty,” Pita said in a Facebook post as the parliament convened. “Today’s political situation is hazy, dark, and uncertain. Under this circumstance, will you make the right decision and bring the country out of a crisis?”
The nation’s benchmark stock index is among the worst performers in Asia this year, and the baht one of the biggest decliners in Southeast Asia since the May 14 vote. Also, corporate risks are rising.
The cost for issuers in Thailand to borrow domestically has risen more than their peers in Indonesia and Malaysia as the passage of a budget bill for the year starting Oct. 1 is delayed.
Pita has, however, opened the door for his alliance partner Pheu Thai to take the lead in forming the next government, should he fail in his efforts, including a push to strip the senators of their voting powers. Pheu Thai has indicated Srettha Thavisin will be its pick for the top job.
While Pita’s eligibility to run a second time remained in doubt, the Constitutional Court’s decision added to the heated debate in parliament.
While the suspension of his lawmaker duties won’t directly impact his candidacy for premiership, it may further fuel opposition against him and jeopardize his cause to gain as many Senate votes as possible
READ: Thailand’s PM Race Can Take a Whole New Turn, Here’s How
--With assistance from Harry Suhartono, Pathom Sangwongwanich and Napat Kongsawad.
(Updates with Pita’s appeal in the seventh paragraph.)
