The progressive candidate for Prime Minister of Thailand, Pita Limjaroenrat, did not get enough support from the bicameral Parliament last Thursday to be elected, so the Legislature will have to hold a new session next Wednesday.
At the head of a broad coalition of eight parties, Pita Limjaroenrat had to get at least 376 supports in the vote in which the 500 members of the House of Representatives, elected in the legislative elections in May, and 250 senators, elected by dit, participated in 2019 by the now defunct military junta.
The candidate, who at the head of the Avançar party unexpectedly prevailed in the last elections, obtained the endorsement of 323 parliamentarians and was therefore 53 votes short of being appointed prime minister. Yesterday Pita obtained the support of 310 deputies and 13 senators, while 182 parliamentarians voted against (148 deputies and 34 senators) and 198 abstained (39 deputies and 159 senators), while dozens of senators did not submit the your vote
After the vote, Pita indicated to local media that he will continue to present his candidacy to try to be elected prime minister and stressed that many senators were under great pressure, which motivated his vote against, reported the PBS channel.
The young candidate, 42, acknowledged that the second vote, next week, will not be easy and that he will continue to defend the reform of the law of lese majesty, a measure rejected by the country’s influential monarchist and military elites. The reform of the monarchy and its prerogatives and powers has been one of the main demands of the democratic movement in recent years.
The Avançar party, which aims to implement various policies aimed at promoting a democratic reform of the country and is publicly opposed to the policies promoted by the military in the last decade, won the election with 14 million votes, or 151 seats. With the support to a large extent of the young people who demonstrated in 2020 to demand a deep reform of the kingdom, the progressive party formed a coalition together with seven other formations that brings together 312 members of the House of Representatives.
After not having obtained enough support, the Thai Parliament has scheduled a second day on July 19 and, if necessary, a third on the 20th, at which Pita or a new candidate could present himself again.
Yesterday’s session was marked by the harsh tone of several deputies and senators opposed to the commitment of Pita and Avançar to reform the laws that protect the royal house of Thailand from all criticism, under penalties of up to 15 years in prison. One of them even said that he would propose reforming this law to allow people to “shoot” anyone who criticizes the monarch, an outburst that has raised a lot of controversy among Thais.
The vote took place a day after the Electoral Commission raised a complaint with the Constitutional Court that could end with the disqualification of Pita, following the possession of shares in a closed television channel.
The Constitutional Court, moreover, accepted the day before a claim against Avançar for allegedly “trying to overthrow” the democratic system with the king as head of state following his promise to reform the law that protects the monarch, which it can mean the dissolution of the party and the disqualification of its leaders.
The court cases against Pita and Avançar recall the case of Future Forward, predecessor of Avançar, which was dissolved in February 2020 by court order, and of its leaders, disqualified for ten years under the accusation of having received a loan illegal
If the reformist leader were disqualified or failed to get the necessary votes next week, the other heavyweight of the opposition coalition, Pheu Thai – which won ten seats less than Avançar in May – could take the step of present one of their three candidates. The Pheu Thai, due to its experience and background, would have an easier time getting support in the Senate, since, unlike Avançar, it supports the controversial lese majeste law.
