Prayut unlikely to be named post-election PM: Academic

By Thai Newsroom Reporters

PRIME MINISTER PRAYUT Chan-o-cha would no longer be named head of a post-election government with about three quarters of a year for him to prolong his rule from now, according to a prominent academic.

Thammasat University law lecturer Prinya Thaewanarumitkul forecast today (Oct. 4) Prayut would find no major party to promote him during nationwide partisan campaigns for head of a post-election government again, given the three-quarters period for him to prolong his rule beyond the next general election largely speculated by early next year.

Prinya commented that Prayut might probably opt against dissolving the House of Representatives and might only prefer to see the legislative branch complete a four-year term in late March so that a general election will be held in 45 days as provided by law.

However, it might take four to five months after the nationwide election for MPs until a coalition government has been set up whilst Prayut would only perform as caretaker premier in the meantime, according to the academic.

The Constitutional Court has recently ruled that Prayut’s eight-year tenure has begun in 2017, the year in which the current constitution was promulgated and effective, and that it can last until 2025, regardless of events in which he orchestrated a coup as army chief and named himself head of a military-installed government in 2014.

The Thammasat law lecturer referred to the ruling Palang Pracharath Party headed by Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan, who, he said, would eventually be named partisan contender for premier rather than the current one.

Prawit who had earlier performed as caretaker premier whilst Prayut had been suspended by court from performing as head of government would  offer himself as top choice among a trio of partisan contenders vying for premiership in the next general election, Prinya said.

That is unlike the 2019 general election in which Prawit’s largest coalition partner managed to land Prayut the top post of government, given an overwhelming support from senators, all of whom had been handpicked by the coup junta.

Though there may be some other camps such as the Ruam Thai Sarng Chart Party headed by former Democrat MP Pirapan Salirattawipak to pit Prayut as candidate for premier, such brand-new parties might fail to get a minimum of 25 MPs in the next general election as required by law to endorse the nomination of anyone for head of government in the first place, the academic said.

CAPTIONS:

Top: Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha. Photo: Thai Rath

Front Page: Thammasat University law lecturer Prinya Thaewanarumitkul. Photo: Thai Rath

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