The Thailand party affiliated with the billionaire former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra is set to select a candidate for the next prime minister following the dismissal of the current incumbent, Srettha Thavisin, by the kingdom’s top court due to an ethics violation.
The Constitutional Court’s ruling on Wednesday stated that Srettha, 62, violated regulations by appointing a cabinet minister with a criminal record, increasing political uncertainty in Thailand after the dissolution of the main opposition party last week.
On Friday, Parliament will convene at 10:00 am (0300 GMT) to vote on a new Prime Minister.
Pheu Thai, the party led by Thaksin, which is the largest member of the governing coalition comprising 11 parties, including royalist and pro-military groups that were once its adversaries, will select a replacement for Srettha from either former justice minister Chaikasem Nitisiri or Thaksin’s daughter, Paetongtarn Shinawatra.
The Pheu Thai party secretary-general, Sorawong Thienthong, mentioned that they would consult with coalition partners before finalizing their choice.
Srettha becomes the third Pheu Thai prime minister to be removed by the Constitutional Court, stepping down from office after less than a year.
Thai politics has been riddled with instability for the past two decades, characterized by coups, protests, and court interventions, largely driven by the ongoing struggle between the military and pro-royalist establishment against progressive parties associated with Thaksin.
Thaksin, who returned to Thailand after 15 years of self-exile last August, coincidentally re-entered the country on the same day Srettha assumed power in collaboration with pro-military parties that were traditionally opposed to Thaksin and his supporters.
Recent events implied a potential truce between the rival factions as they sought to combat the growing influence of the Move Forward Party (MFP), which garnered the popular vote in the previous election but was prevented from forming a government.
The case against Srettha was initiated by 40 former senators appointed by the military junta responsible for the 2014 coup that ousted an elected Pheu Thai government.
Furthermore, the senate played a significant role in obstructing the MFP after the latest elections, with senators fearing the party’s commitment to reforming laws and combating monopolies.
Last week, the top court disbanded the MFP and prohibited its key members from engaging in politics for a decade.
Srettha’s dismissal was based on the appointment of Pichit Chuenban, a former lawyer associated with Thaksin who had been previously convicted. Pichit resigned from the cabinet in an attempt to protect Srettha, but the court proceeded with the case regardless.
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