Move Forward Party leader and prime ministerial candidate Pita Limjarwinrat (C) sits with fellow party members inside the Thai Parliament.
Lillian Suwanrumpha | AFP | Getty Images
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American-educated liberal Peta Lamjarvenerat has an extremely difficult path to the top job, needing the support of more than half of the bicameral parliament and overcoming fierce resistance from the royal army, at odds with her party’s anti-establishment ambitions.
The legislature on Wednesday called for PETA’s second shot at the top job, but his rivals quickly derailed it by questioning the parliamentary rule under which he was nominated by his eight-party coalition.
After an hour-long debate, the Constitutional Court separately announced that Peta had been temporarily suspended as a lawmaker over allegations that he violated election rules by holding shares in a media firm, its second complaint against him in six days.
The suspension does not prevent Peta from running for prime minister, and the 42-year-old told Reuters in an interview on Tuesday that he expected “pre-planned” disruptions, describing the military’s attempts to stop them as a “broken record”.
Thailand has been run by a caretaker administration since March and 65 days have passed since Move Forward’s stunning election victory over military-backed parties on May 14, in what was widely seen as a popular backlash against nine years of general-controlled rule.
“Thailand is not the same after May 14. We are halfway to the people’s victory and there is still half to go,” a smiling Peta told the house as he acknowledged the court’s suspension order, to fist bumps and applause.
Wednesday’s drama was the latest twist in a two-decade struggle for power between elected parties and conservatives, including the military, in Thailand, which has included political sanctions, judicial interventions, two coups and sometimes violent street protests.
Hundreds of PETA supporters gathered peacefully in Bangkok to protest efforts to stop it, some carrying signs condemning the senators for refusing to support them.
A collision course
The progressive Move Forward ran a disruptive election campaign in which they mastered social media to target and win over millions of urban and young voters, promising bold institutional reforms to maintain the conservative status quo.
But his agenda has put him on a collision course with powerful, conservative interests, as evidenced by lawsuits against him and determined efforts to keep him at bay by rival lawmakers in the outgoing, military-backed government.
A constitution drawn up by the military The aftermath of the 2014 coup and the tilt towards it ensured that PETA was blocked in the first vote of the military-appointed Senate, which has acted as a buffer against elected politicians and could effectively torpedo efforts to form governments.
Lawmakers were debating a challenge to PETA’s nomination late Wednesday afternoon, with efforts to invalidate it and push through a planned prime ministerial vote by his allies.
The contest was expected to be his last, with PETA promising to make way for coalition partner and political heavyweight Pheu Thai if he fails to field a prime ministerial candidate in the next round.
“It is now clear that in the current system, it is not enough to get public approval to run the country, we also need approval from the Senate,” PETA posted on Instagram during the debate.
“And there may not be enough support to nominate my name a second time.”
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Source by [CNBC News]
