Parliament vote for PM postponed indefinitely

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From Bangkok Post

Parliament President Wan Muhamad Noor Matha has indefinitely postponed Thursday's planned joint sitting to vote for a new prime minister, pending a Constitutional Court ruling on the rejected renomination of Move Forward Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat.

Mr Wan said on Tuesday that he made the decision after consulting with legal officials of the House of Representatives and his advisers.

They were of the view that if the prime ministerial vote went ahead on Thursday, it could potentially lead to problems when the Constitutional Court makes its ruling afterwards, the House speaker and ex-officio  parliament president said.

With Thursday's meeting posponted, Wednesday's planned meeting of whips from the coalition allies, other political parties and senators was now unnecessary, he said.

Another reason for delaying the joint sitting was that many elected MPs and senators were worried they would not be able to attend ceremonies to celebrate His Majesty the King's birthday in their respective provinces on Friday if the sitting was prolonged, Mr Wan said.

The joint sitting for a prime ministerial vote could be put back on the parliamentary agenda after the court's ruling.

The parliament president earlier set Thursday for elected representatives and appointed senators to vote again for a new prime minister, possibly from Pheu Thai, the second largest party in the same alliance led by Mr Pita's MFP. 

MFP has agreed to let Pheu Thai take the lead in nominating a prime minister and forming the government. It also faces a challenge because many parties outside the coalition bloc disapprove of MFP’s political platform and plan to revise  Section 112 of the Criminal Code, the lese majeste law.

The eight parties in the coalition were scheduled to meet on Tuesday afternoon to hear a progress report from Pheu Thai. But the meeting was cancelled at the last minute, with Pheu Thai conceding it had little progress to report so far.

Meanwhile, MFP insists it will continue its efforts to have Mr Pita installed as prime minister.

 

 

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From The Nation

The Thai Parliament president has called a joint meeting of the Houses of Representatives and the Senate next Friday (August 4) to elect Thailand’s new prime minister if the Constitutional Court rejects a petition challenging a parliamentary vote that blocked the renomination of Move Forward Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat.

Wan Muhamad Noor Matha, the speaker of the House of Representatives who doubles as Parliament president, said on Thursday that if the court accepted the petition by the Ombudsman’s Office for hearing and issued an injunction, the election of prime minister would have to be postponed further.

If that happens, the joint meeting of both Houses scheduled for August 4 would deliberate a bill to amend Article 272 of the Constitution, which was submitted by the Move Forward Party, Wan Noor said.

Move Forward’s amendment bill seeks the removal of Article 272, which empowers the Senate to join the lower House in electing Thailand’s prime minister. The Senate will have the power for five years from May 2019 when the first National Assembly convened after the 2017 Constitution came into effect.

This power held by the unelected senators, which expires in May 2024, has been blamed for Pita’s failure to get sufficient parliamentary support to become prime minister. He obtained only 13 votes from the 250-member Senate.

The Constitutional Court’s judges are scheduled to meet next Thursday (August 3) to decide whether to accept the petition by the Ombudsman’s Office.

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From The Nation

Protesters call on Pheu Thai to maintain coalition integrity

Pro-democracy protesters gathered at the Ratchaprasong junction in Bangkok on Thursday, demanding the resignation of senators and that the eight-party coalition remains intact and maintains its stance on forming a government.

Several groups of protesters including the United Front of Thammasat and Demonstration, Mokeluang Rimnam, ThaluWang and People's Movement for a Just Society (P-Move), began demonstrating at 5pm.

Protesters put up placards on the pedestrian bridge and sprayed messages on the road. They also staged a mock hanging from the pedestrian walkway in memory of the protesters who died during the demonstrations against the government led by former PM Abhisit Vejjajiva in 2010.

Protesters urged senators to listen to the people's voice and Pheu Thai Party to maintain its stance on forming a democratic government with Move Forward Party.

They also urged political parties and senators to stop thinking that amending the lese-majeste law aims to overthrow the monarchy, saying that it instead has the objective of seeking a fair and just solution for the country.

If Pheu Thai betrays the coalition, it will face punishment from the people, said political activist Thatchapong Kaedam, adding that the party should strictly adhere to its stance to escape conservative parties' schemes.

He added that former PM Thaksin Shinawatra and activists who fled Thailand to escape political charges had the right to return home, adding that all parties should respect the people's vote in a bid to prevent a repeat of the clashes between protesters and riot police at Din Daeng junction last year.