08/24/2022 12:37 (act 08/24/2022 12:40)
Court accepts opposition case ©APA/AFP
Thailand’s constitutional court has suspended Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha from office. The court on Wednesday accepted an opposition case for trial, according to which the head of government, who had been in office since a 2014 coup, had already reached the end of his eight-year term, which is constitutionally limited. Until a decision is made, an interim prime minister will be responsible for official affairs. Prayut’s current deputy, Prawit Wongsuwan, is the favorite.
The 68-year-old’s supporters argue that Thailand’s new constitution has only been in effect since 2017. Prayut’s term only runs from 2017 or even the 2019 general election. Prayut has 15 days to comment on the opposition’s petition, he said. The court. It is not yet clear when the court will announce a final decision.
According to Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam, the post of prime minister will likely be taken over by another deputy, Prawit Wongsuwan. The next parliamentary elections are scheduled for May next year. According to a poll, nearly two-thirds of all Thais want Prayut to step down before the end of this month. Others argue that his term only started after the 2019 elections and that, therefore, he can remain prime minister for longer.
Former army chief Prayut came to power in a 2014 military coup against the democratically elected government of Yingluck Shinawatra. He headed the military government for five years before being confirmed as prime minister in the 2019 elections.
Political unrest has been going on in Thailand for nearly two decades. In this period, there were two coups d’état in the Southeast Asian country. In the sometimes violent protests against the military’s role in politics, protesters repeatedly demand more public voice.