Thai PM election ends without majority; second round planned

Thailand’s parliament failed to secure a prime minister in the recent vote as Move Forward Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat fell short of the required 375 votes.

Pita’s coalition plans to nominate him again in the next round of voting on July 19. No challenger was put forward by conservative parties.

Pita received 324 votes from his coalition and 13 senators, while 182 votes were cast against him and 199 lawmakers abstained.

Despite the outcome, Pita remains determined, stating that they accept the result but will not give up.

The party is focused on reforming the country’s lese-majeste laws. Move Forward Party’s proposed amendments to Article 112, which deals with insulting the monarchy, dominated the parliamentary debate.

Changing these laws is a contentious issue, particularly for conservative parties and senators appointed by the military government.

The vote reflects the tension between the conservative establishment and the pro-democracy movement that seeks to restore democratic rule.

Move Forward Party, part of a coalition with other pro-democracy parties, aims to end the nine-year rule of Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, who led the 2014 military coup.

The next vote on July 19 will be crucial for Pita’s coalition, and the alliance with Pheu Thai, the second-largest party, could be at stake.

A delay in government formation could lead to economic slowdown, with warnings from analysts and trade groups about the potential impact on the approval of the government budget in October.

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