Thailand’s constitutional court rejected a petition challenging a parliament decision last month to deny pro-democracy leader Pita Limjaroenrat a second shot at prime minister’s job, clearing the way for lawmakers to hold a fresh vote.
The judges unanimously rejected the petition, saying the petitioners were not eligible to challenge the parliament resolution as the issue did not concern them directly. The court also turned down a request to delay the next premier vote.
The Office of the Ombudsman had petitioned the charter court against a July 19 parliament resolution to bar Pita from seeking renomination as prime minister after his first bid was thwarted by senators opposed to his party’s pledge to amend a law protecting the controversial royal insult law.
The rejection of the petition allows House Speaker Wan Muhamad Noor Matha now to set a fresh date to select the prime minister.
Srettha Thavisin, a property tycoon, is set to seek parliamentary approval as the prime ministerial candidate of a new coalition headed by Pheu Thai, a party linked to former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra. The party has tied up with some conservative parties and erstwhile members of Pita-led coalition.
The bloc is backed by 238 lawmakers in the House of Representatives. Srettha will need the support of the majority of 750 lawmakers in the joint National Assembly, which combines the elected lower house and the Senate that’s stacked with allies of the pro-military royalist establishment.
--With assistance from Pathom Sangwongwanich and Suttinee Yuvejwattana.
