BANGKOK, Thailand — Thailand’s Constitutional Court on Wednesday suspended Prime Minister
Prayut Chan-O-Cha from office while it considers a legal challenge that could
see him thrown out months before an expected general election.
اضافة اعلان
The court agreed
unanimously to hear a case brought by opposition parties who argue Prayut has
reached the end of his eight-year term limit as prime minister.
Judges also agreed
by five votes to four to suspend Prayut from office until the case is decided,
the court said in a statement.
“The court
considered the petition and supporting documents and deems the facts according
to the request indicate reasonable grounds to suspect that there is a case as
requested,” the statement said.
“Thus, a majority
vote (five against four) for (Prayut) to be suspended as prime minister,
effective August 24, 2022, until the court issues a verdict.”
Prayut, who will
continue in his role as defense minister, has 15 days to respond to the case
against him.
Prawit Wongsuwan,
one of Prayut’s deputies and another former army chief, will take over as
caretaker prime minister while the case is decided.
“The current
cabinet will continue its duty as normal because General Prayut has not been
ousted from his post, only suspended from duty,” said Wissanu Krea-ngam,
another deputy prime minister.
Legal wrangle
It is not the first time the Constitutional Court has played a role in
Thai politics — it cancelled the results of general elections in 2006 and 2014.
The kingdom’s 2017
constitution bars the prime minister from serving more than eight years in
total, and opposition parties say Prayut, who took power in a 2014 coup, has
reached the limit.
Several hundred
anti-government protesters rallied at Bangkok’s Democracy Monument on Tuesday
ahead of the court ruling and further demonstrations are planned.
The prime
minister’s supporters argue that the clock on his rule began when the 2017
constitution was instituted, or even after the 2019 general election.
If the court
follows this logic, Prayut could technically continue to serve until 2025 or
2027 — if he wins a general election which is due by March.
The former army
chief came to power in a military coup that ousted Yingluck Shinawatra’s
democratically elected government.
He headed the
junta regime for five years and continued as prime minister after the 2019
national elections.
The stern,
blunt-speaking Prayut has found himself increasingly out of favor with voters.
A recent opinion poll found two-thirds of respondents wanted him to vacate
office immediately.
Under Prayut’s
watch, the kingdom registered its worst economic performance in 30 years and
his government has also faced criticism over its handling of the pandemic.
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