Thailand’s opposition leader Pita Limjaroenrat suffers setback in his bid to become prime minister

The bid for the prime minister’s position by Pita Limjaroenrat, the leader of Thailand’s Move Forward party, hit a snag as the parliament denied his second nomination and the Constitutional Court suspended him amidst an electoral complaint.

The 394-312 vote and the suspension have complicated Move Forward’s endeavor to establish a progressive government after their May 14 election win.

Pita was suspended due to undisclosed media shareholdings, causing an upheaval in parliamentary proceedings, with supporters protesting outside the parliament.

This suspension bears similarities to the 2019 suspension of Future Forward Party leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit on comparable grounds.

The Future Forward Party, later rebranded as Move Forward, faced disbandment post-Thanathorn’s suspension, leading to widespread protests in 2020.

Pita’s second nomination was challenged immediately, despite him being the only nominee for the prime minister post.

As allies argue that constitutional guidelines should supersede parliamentary procedures, the Constitutional Court granted Pita 15 days to address the Election Commission’s complaint.

Following these developments, Thailand’s SET stock index dipped, reflecting investor anxiety due to political uncertainties.

As Pita’s nomination has been stalled, his coalition is left reassessing its strategy, potentially paving the way for another nominee from their coalition partner Pheu Thai.