5-7-2023 (BANGKOK) Thailand’s parliament is set to elect a new prime minister on July 13, according to an announcement by House Speaker Wan Muhamad Noor Matha on Wednesday (July 5). This follows Wan Noor’s endorsement as house speaker, a role that allows him to call for a joint session of the bicameral legislature to vote on the country’s next leader.
The Move Forward party and the populist Pheu Thai party emerged victorious in the May elections, securing 151 and 141 seats in the 500-member lower house, respectively. Along with six other parties, they are expected to propose the leader of the Move Forward party, Pita Limjaroenrat, as the new prime minister, replacing the incumbent Prayut Chan-o-cha.
Despite the alliance’s strong showing in the elections, with a total of 312 votes, they are still short of the 376 votes needed for Pita to secure the position in the joint sitting. This is because the joint sitting includes a conservative-leaning 250-member senate, who were appointed during military rule.
The upcoming vote is expected to be closely watched, as it could determine the future direction of Thailand’s politics. The country has experienced significant political unrest in recent years, with tensions between the government and opposition groups reaching a boiling point in 2019.
