It’s been a week of delays in Thai politics, with the postponement of a key Constitutional Court decision leading to the postponement of the PM vote, which in turn has (probably) led to the postponement of Thaksin Shinawatra’s return.
The Pheu Thai Party, which had hoped to see its PM candidate Srettha Thavisin elected today, has now deferred announcing the formation of a new Cabinet, although it would have to include BhumJaiThai to make up the required numbers without Move Forward party MPs.
The Constitutional Court was due to decide yesterday on whether to accept a petition on the renomination of Move Forward leader Pita Limjaroenrat as PM. Instead, the court announced a delay to its decision, saying the complainants need to provide more information.
According to a Bangkok Post report, the complainants are Move Forward supporters Pornchai Theppanya and Boonsong Chalaythorn, along with Move Forward MP Panyarut Nuntapusitanon. They allege that the rejection of Pita’s renomination is a violation of their constitutional rights.
However, the court says there are details missing from the complaint filed by Ms Panyarut and 16 other MFP MPs, in terms of the identities of the other complainants and how their rights have been affected. It has deferred its decision to give Panyarut time to provide more information.
As a result of that delay, parliament president Wan Muhamad Noor Matha was forced to postpone the PM vote tentatively scheduled for today. Pheu Thai was then left with no choice but to delay announcing its coalition partners.
Finally, in this week’s game of political dominoes, former Thai PM and Pheu Thai godfather Thaksin Shinawatra was forced to delay his return home, originally scheduled for August 10.
It’s now 12 weeks since Thailand held its general election and the Move Forward Party won the most seats. Not only has that party been prevented from forming a government and forced into opposition, the country remains without a new prime minister or new parliament, cabinet or Ministers.
SOURCE: Bangkok Post
