Winning Thai PM Candidate Blocked From Taking Office

The Guardian reports:

The leader of Thailand’s pro-reform party, which won the most seats in May’s election, has been blocked from taking power by a parliamentary vote that includes military-appointed senators, a move likely to provoke street protests. Pita Limjaroenrat, leader of Move Forward, a progressive party that has a strong youth support base, won the most votes and most seats in May’s election.

But Thailand’s election rules, rewritten after a military coup in 2014, required him to have majority support from parliament to become prime minister – which meant he needed to win the backing of some military-appointed senators. The comment sections of livestreams broadcasting the vote were filled with anger towards senators, saying they had failed to respect the will of the people, and that those who had abstained were a waste of taxpayers’ money.

Read the full article.

Limjaroenrat appeared here last month when he marched in Bangkok Pride and vowed to legalize same-marriage.

🔒”The leader of Thailand’s pro-reform party, which won the most seats in May’s election, has been blocked from taking power by a parliamentary vote that includes military-appointed senators, a move likely to provoke street protests”https://t.co/lHzYon1TVg

— Laura Ruiz Sancho ✨ (@LauRSancho) July 13, 2023