BANGKOK (AP) — Thailand’s populist Pheu Thai party and its coalition partners on Thursday said they will nominate Pheu Thai leader Paetongtarn Shinawatra in a Parliament vote for the country’s new leader after former Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin was removed by court order over an ethical violation.
Paetongtarn is the youngest daughter of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who is seen as a guiding force behind Pheu Thai, and the niece of former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.
The leaders of the original Pheu Thai-led coalition on Thursday declared their support for Paetongtarn at a news conference after the party’s secretary-general Sorawong Thienthong announced her candidacy.
If Paetongtarn is approved in Parliament’s vote, which is scheduled for Friday, she will become Thailand’s second female prime minister and the country’s third leader from the Shinwatra family after her father and Yingluck. Thaksin was the first Thai politician ever to win an overall majority of seats. His residual popularity is a factor behind the support for Paetongtarn.
Srettha was ousted on Wednesday after less than a year in office. The Constitutional Court found him guilty of a serious ethical breach regarding his appointment of a Cabinet member who was jailed in connection with an alleged bribery attempt.
It was the second major ruling in a week to shake Thai politics. The same court last week dissolved the progressive and main opposition Move Forward party, which won last year’s general election but was blocked from power, saying it violated the Constitution by proposing an amendment to a law against defaming the country’s royal family. The party has already regrouped as the People’s Party.
Pheu Thai finished second in last year’s election but was given a chance to form a government after the winners, reformist Move Forward party, was blocked from taking power by the previous Senate, a military-appointed body.
Move Forward was then excluded from the coalition by Pheu Thai, which went on to join hands with parties affiliated with the previous military-backed government that ousted it in a coup. The move drew criticism from some of its supporters but party officials say it was necessary to break the deadlock and start reconciliation after decades of deep political divisions.
The former senators were given special power to veto a prime ministerial candidate by the constitution adopted in 2017 under a military government. However, that power expired when their term ended in May. New members of the Senate, selected in a convoluted process last month, do not retain the veto.
A candidate now needs just a majority from the lower house, or at least 247 votes. The House of Representatives now has 493 sitting members after six were banned from politics as a result of Move Forward’s dissolution. Another lawmaker of the Bhumjaithai party is suspended awaiting a court ruling.
While Pheu Thai’s coalition partners endorsed its candidate, some of its key members have reiterated that they would not support a proposal to amend the royal defamation law which became a key issue during last year’s election. Pheu Thai discussed the issue during the election campaign but has toned down significantly after becoming the government.
The law, also known as Article 112 in Thailand’s criminal codes, protects the monarchy from criticism with penalties of up to 15 years in jail per offense. Critics say the law is often wielded as a tool to quash political dissent.
The People’s Party, new home for lawmakers of the dissolved Move Forward, said Thursday that it will not vote to approve a candidate from Pheu Thai on Friday. Party leader Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut said the party will continue its duty as an opposition.
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