Thai Constitutional Court suspends PM candidate Pita Limjaroenrat

Thailand’s Constitutional Court has suspended the Move Forward party chief Pita Limjaroenrat and forced him to leave the house in the middle of a debate. Parliament also blocked a second vote on whether the reformist leader should be the prime minister of the country. Thus, despite sweeping the parliamentary elections held in May, the 42-year-old leader will not be able to form the government, in fact, he will not be a part of any new government.

Two cases have been slapped against Limjaroenrat in the Constitutional Court. He was suspended in the first case related to his ownership of a media house. The second case was filed for his decision to amend the ‘lese majeste’ law. Hundreds of critics of the king were put behind bars under this law.

In a house of 749 members, Pita needed more than half of the lawmakers to form a government. But he could garner the support of only 324 votes, 51 less than the majority mark of 375. The leader of the reformist party got the support of the majority of lawmakers in the lower house, but he failed to convince the members of the upper house. Most of the 249 members of the upper house were nominated by the military leadership and they did not favour the reformist leader who is against the military junta.


This is not the first time that the Constitutional Court has taken steps to deny the democratic process and the results of elections. It dissolved the Future Forward party, the predecessor of the present Move Forward party in 2019 after it was found to have violated the electoral rules. The Constitutional Court in 2008 removed three prime ministers who were linked politically to former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra. A military coup toppled Thaksin Shinawatra in 2008.

The Move Forward party made a coalition of seven parties including Pheu Thai, which came second in the polls, swept by Pita’s party. It is an irony that Pheu Thai will get the benefit of the court’s ruling and present political scenario despite it being at the receiving end of the decisions of the Constitutional Court.

When Pita Limjaroenrat came out of the parliament after being suspended by the Constitutional Court, a huge crowd greeted him. They were protesting against the decision of the court. They also questioned the need of holding the general elections if an elected lawmaker is suspended on flimsy grounds.

FAQs:

Q1:Why was Pita Limjaroenrat suspended and blocked from being the prime minister of Thailand?
Two cases have been slapped against Limjaroenrat in the Constitutional Court. He was suspended in the first case related to his ownership of a media house. The second case was filed for his decision to amend the ‘lese majeste’ law.

Q2:How many votes did Pita Limjaroenrat get in Parliament?
In a house of 749 members, Pita needed more than half of the lawmakers to form a government. But he could garner the support of only 324 votes, 51 less than the majority mark of 375.