The progressive candidate for Prime Minister of Thailand, Pita Limjaroenrat, did not achieve sufficient support from the bicameral Parliament yesterday to be elected, so the Legislature must hold a new session next Wednesday.
At the head of a broad coalition of eight parties, Pita Limjaroenrat had to reach 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, handpicked, participated. in 2019 by the now extinct military junta.
The candidate, who at the head of the Avanzar party unexpectedly prevailed in the recent elections, achieved the endorsement of 323 parliamentarians and therefore fell 53 supports away from being appointed prime minister. Pita obtained the support of 310 deputies and 13 senators yesterday, while 182 parliamentarians (148 deputies and 34 senators) voted against and 198 abstained (39 deputies and 159 senators), while dozens of senators did not go to cast their vote. .
After the vote, Pita told local media that he would continue to run to try to be elected prime minister, noting that many senators were under great pressure, which led to their vote against, PBS reported.
The 42-year-old young candidate acknowledged that the second vote next week will not be easy and that he will continue to defend the reform of the lèse majesté law, a measure rejected by the country’s influential monarchical 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 Avanzar party, which seeks to implement various policies aimed at promoting democratic reform in the country and is publicly opposed to the policies promoted by the military in the last decade, won the elections with 14 million votes, or 151 seats. Largely supported by the young people who demonstrated in 2020 to urge a deep reform in the kingdom, the progressive party formed a coalition with seven other formations that brings together 312 members of the House of Representatives.
By not getting enough support, the Thai Parliament has scheduled a second day on July 19 and, if necessary, a third on the 20th, to which Pita or another 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 Avanzar to reform the laws that protect the royal house of Thailand from any 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 sparked much controversy among Thais.
The vote took place a day after the Electoral Commission raised a complaint to the Constitutional Court that could end with the disqualification of Pita, as a result of the possession of shares in a closed television channel.
The Constitutional Court, in addition, accepted the day before a claim against Avanzar for allegedly “trying to overthrow” the democratic system with the king as head of state as a result of his promise to reform the law that protects the monarch, which may mean the dissolution of the party and disqualification of its leaders.
The legal cases against Pita and Avanzar are reminiscent of the case of Future Forward, Avanzar’s predecessor, which was dissolved in February 2020 by court order, and its leaders, disqualified for ten years on charges of having received an illegal loan.
If the reformist leader were disqualified or did not reach the necessary votes next week, the other heavyweight of the opposition coalition, Pheu Thai – which in May won 10 seats less than Avanzar – could take the step of presenting one of its three candidates. Pheu Thai, due to experience and background, would have an easier time getting support in the Senate, since, unlike Avanzar, it supports the controversial lèse majesté law.
