13-7-2023 (BANGKOK) The much-anticipated prime minister vote in Thailand occurred on Thursday, and the odds were not in favour of Move Forward Party (MFP) leader Pita Limjaroenrat emerging as the country’s next leader. Backed by eight prospective coalition partners, Mr Pita, who is the MFP’s sole prime ministerial candidate, needed 64 votes to secure the premiership. However, two major developments on Wednesday were believed to have dealt a severe blow to his bid to contend for the position.
The day began with the Election Commission (EC) deciding to forward Mr Pita’s iTV shareholding case to the Constitutional Court for a ruling. The poll agency also asked the court to suspend him from duty pending its ruling. Mr Pita was accused of contesting the May 14 polls despite knowing he was ineligible as he held 42,000 shares in iTV, a media company. Under the charter, an election candidate is barred from running for office if they own shares in a media company.
In its decision, the EC said there was adequate evidence to prove that Mr Pita owned the iTV shares when he applied to contest the general election. The case was immediately lodged with the court after EC chairman Ittiporn Boonpracong signed the petition. As the party and its supporters criticised the EC for its decision, the Constitutional Court later in the day accepted a petition filed against the MFP and Mr Pita over their controversial lese majeste law policy.
The petition, lodged by Theerayut Suwankesorn, claimed the policy breaches Section 49, which prohibits people from using their rights and freedoms to overthrow the constitutional monarchy. In response to the EC’s move, the MFP said the poll agency ignored the inquiry procedures and raised suspicions that a particular group was using the poll agency to thwart Mr Pita’s nomination. The party alleged that the EC had rushed the process, which could potentially lead to a violation of Section 157 of the Criminal Code.
MFP secretary-general Chaithawat Tulathon insisted that no matter how the Constitutional Court decided on the case, the eight parties would band together and support Mr Pita’s prime ministerial bid. “Tomorrow may be an opportunity or a fork in the road for Thai society. It will decide if the people’s voice will remain ignored or if normalcy will be returned to help make the country go forward,” he said.
According to a source in the Constitutional Court, the procedures would require the court to examine the EC’s petition before deciding whether to accept it for review, and it would likely be considered at the court’s next meeting. The Constitutional Court, which meets every Wednesday, would only consider what was on yesterday’s meeting agenda.
Mr Pita said yesterday he was undeterred by the EC’s decision and expressed confidence that the senate would make the right call. The case does not affect his prime ministerial candidacy. “I believe the Senate understands its role and duty. Moreover, the media outlet in question has been closed for ages, and I held the shares as the executor [of my father’s estate]. And it has nothing to do with my qualification as the prime ministerial candidate,” he said.
The MFP leader said he would attend today’s joint meeting and present his vision before the MPs and senators ahead of the vote, which was scheduled at 5 pm. Mr Pita also suggested that he was close to clinching the prime minister post, which would explain why the EC’s decision came on the eve of the prime ministerial selection.
He said the MFP and Pheu Thai did not have a second plan in case he could not secure the post after two rounds of voting when asked if Pheu Thai would take the lead in coalition formation if his bid failed. Mr Pita also criticised the EC for not giving him the chance to defend himself against the allegation, saying that the inquiry was rushed with the probe being concluded in just 32 days.
The EC’s move also triggered protests by MFP supporters in various provinces on Wednesday, including Bangkok, Surin, Ubon Ratchathani, and Nakhon Ratchasima. Issares Rattanadilok na Phuket, vice-chairman of the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI), said there was a campaign to thwart Mr Pita’s bid to become the prime minister and described it as a setback for the country.
Meanwhile, all 25 Democrat Party MPs unanimously agreed they would opt for a no-vote when deciding whether to elect Move Forward Party (MFP) leader Pita Limjaroenrat as prime minister in parliament on Thursday. The 25 MPs from the constituency and party list systems met at the parliament yesterday to set a common direction for their prime ministerial vote.
The MPs settled for a no-vote at today’s parliament session when Mr Pita’s bid for prime minister was put forth. Mr Pita’s bid for prime minister was backed by a coalition of eight parties led by the MFP, with 311 MPs.
