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Protesters rallied in Bangkok on Wednesday, demanding the Thai government to honor the voters’ will. The photo is credited to Thomas Maresca/UPI.
BANGKOK, July 20 (UPI) — Following the blocking of election winner Pita Limjaroenrat’s prime ministerial bid by military- and monarchy-aligned members of parliament, Thailand’s caretaker Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha urged calm on Thursday.
“All parties are requested to express their political opinions appropriately under the law and adhere to peaceful and non-violent approaches, so as not to affect economic confidence and tourism,” stated deputy government spokeswoman Rachada Dhnadirek during a press briefing. She quoted Prayuth’s message.
Pita’s Move Forward Party achieved an unexpected election victory in May, but the 42-year-old fell short in his initial bid for prime minister last week after unelected, military-appointed senators denied support.
On Wednesday, lawmakers voted against allowing Pita to be nominated again. Additionally, Thailand’s Constitutional Court temporarily suspended Pita from parliament as it reviews a case that alleges electoral violations committed by him.
Angry supporters gathered in Bangkok following these developments, demanding that the Thai government respect the will of the voters.
According to Rachada, Prayuth, a former general who recently announced his retirement from politics after seizing power in a 2014 coup, “understands the feelings” of Move Forward’s supporters.
“However, he asks them to express themselves and their opinions appropriately under the law,” she added. “We don’t want disagreements to escalate into conflicts.”
Thailand has a history of military and judicial coups, as well as large-scale protests. In 2020, a student-led movement emerged, demanding greater democracy and limits on the power of the monarchy, a previously unthinkable stance. The movement gained momentum under Move Forward’s predecessor, the Future Forward Party, which was dissolved by the Constitutional Court. Tens of thousands took to the streets to support these calls for reform.
Move Forward captured the attention of younger voters with its ambitious agenda, which included rewriting the constitution, ending military conscription, and reforming the lese-majeste law that criminalizes insults against the king.
The focus on amending the royal defamation law, known as Section 112, faced strong resistance from the political establishment. Senators cited this issue as a key factor in sinking Pita’s prime ministerial bid. Even Move Forward’s main coalition partner, the populist Pheu Thai Party, opposes any changes to the law.
On Wednesday, three student groups released a joint statement expressing the need for urgent action to safeguard Thai democracy after “another shameful day in Thailand’s already tumultuous and chaotic history.”
“We urge every Thai citizen to rise and resist those in power through every means available to us,” stated the letter signed by groups from Thammasat, Chulalongkorn, and Mae Fah Luang universities. “Let this be the final battle for democracy for all Thai people!”
Parliament is scheduled to hold another vote for prime minister next Thursday. While coalition partner Pheu Thai is expected to nominate its own candidate, Move Forward’s deputy leader Nutthawut Buarathum announced that the party intends to renominate Pita despite his previous rejection.
