The parliament speaker said the next session to select the next prime minister may happen as soon as Thursday, and that the return of a certain fugitive former prime minister won’t affect things.
Wan Muhamad Noor Matha said he would wait to see how the Constitutional Court rules on Move Forward Party’s challenge to the maneuver which quashed the second bid of its leader, Pita Limjaroenrat. The session, originally due to take place today, was postponed until the court has ruled in a hearing now set for Thursday.
If the Constitutional Court rules against Move Forward, Parliament can proceed with a vote on the next nominee, despite Pheu Thai Party’s opinion that it’s unlikely to come up until Aug. 10, which just happens to be the day Thaksin Shinawtra says he will end nearly two decades of exile to face the music back home.
If the court rules in Move Forward’s favor, Noor said the Parliament may also take up a motion to amend the law and repeal the senate’s voting power to select the prime minister.
Pita’s bid went down in flames earlier this month largely due to opposition by the unelected Senate, which is comprised of appointees selected by the military.
Noor noted that he and several MPs will be out of town for the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly meeting in Indonesia from Aug. 5 to Aug. 10.
The Tuesday announcement by Thaksin’s daughter, a prime minister candidate for the Pheu Thai Party, that her father would return on Aug. 10 has added a whole new level to the political drama consuming Thailand after lawmakers balked at elevating Pita, whose party won the most seats in the May election.
Protests have reignited with his supporters saying that the government has thwarted the will of the people despite holding an election.
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