Selection of Thailand’s new prime minister delayed again, to await court decision on election winner
A parliamentary vote to select Thailand’s new prime minister expected on Friday was delayed again after a court put off a decision in a case involving the progressive party that won May's election, adding to growing uncertainty about when a new government can take office. The Constitutional Court on Thursday said it needs more time to deliberate on whether to accept a petition from the state ombudsman on whether it was constitutional for Parliament to bar Move Forward Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat, the surprise election winner, from being nominated as a prime ministerial candidate a second time. The progressive Move Forward Party finished in first place in the May election and assembled an eight-party coalition with 312 seats in the 500-member lower house. But Parliament has struggled to confirm a new prime minister, which requires a majority vote together with the conservative 250-member appointed Senate. Pita’s initial bid last month fell short by more than 50 votes, largely because only 13 senators backed him. He was barred from a second try the following week when Parliament voted that he could not submit his name again. Many senators, who were appointed by a previous military government, said they would not vote for Pita because of his party’s call to reform a law that makes it illegal to defame Thailand’s royal family. Critics say the law, which carries a penalty of up to 15 years in prison, has been abused as a political weapon. The Senate’s members see themselves as guardians of conservative royalist values which hold the monarchy to be sacrosanct. Move Forward, whose agenda appealed greatly to younger voters, also seeks to reduce the influence of the military, which has staged more than a dozen coups since Thailand became a constitutional monarchy in 1932, and big business monopolies. After Pita was barred from a second bid, several complaints were submitted to the state ombudsman asserting that the action violated the constitution. The complainants include private citizens and lawmakers from Pita’s party. When the case was filed to the court last week, Parliament postponed the vote but rescheduled it days later, although the court had yet to make a decision. The court said in a statement Thursday that it will meet again on Aug. 16 to decide whether to accept the petition. If accepted, the court could order the vote to be postponed until it issues a ruling. House Speaker Wan Muhamad Noor Matha said the vote for a prime minister would be delayed pending the court's decision. He said Parliament will still convene on Friday to debate a Move Forward petition seeking an amendment of the military-enacted constitution to eliminate the Senate’s de facto ability to veto a prime minister candidate. Regardless of the court ruling, Pita's chances of being nominated again appear nil. Move Forward faces several legal challenges which its supporters see as dirty tricks deployed by its political opponents to cling to power. One of the cases, which accuses Pita of violating the constitution by running for office while allegedly holding shares in a media company, resulted in him being suspended from Parliament last month while Parliament was debating his second nomination. In the latest major blow, Pheu Thai, the second biggest party in the eight-party coalition, which took over the lead role in forming a government after Move Forward's two attempts, said Wednesday that Move Forward has been excluded because its platform to reform the royal defamation law made it impossible to rally enough support from other parties and the Senate. Chonlanan Srikaew, Pheu Thai's leader, said the party does not support Move Forward’s call to amend the law and will form a coalition with new partners and nominate its candidate, real estate tycoon Srettha Thavisin, as prime minister. Pheu Thai is the latest in a string of parties affiliated with ex-Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, a billionaire populist who was ousted in a 2006 military coup. His daughter has announced that he plans to return on Aug. 10 following years of self-imposed exile to escape a prison term in several criminal cases which he has decried as politically motivated. The party’s plan to unveil its new coalition partners on Thursday was also postponed following the court’s announcement. Read More Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Pope Francis urges students in Portugal to fight economic injustice and protect the environment Adidas brings in $437 million from selling Yeezy shoes that will benefit anti-hate groups Israel's Supreme Court hears case against a law protecting Netanyahu from being removed from office
2023-08-03 17:24
Nigerian Labor Unions Resume Government Talks After Protests
Nigerian labor unions called off protests and resumed talks with the government following demonstrations against what they called
2023-08-03 17:20
Trump arraignment – live: Trump to appear in court today as he demands ‘fake’ Jan 6 case be moved out of DC
Donald Trump is scheduled to appear in court today to be formally arraigned on charges of conspiring to overturn the 2020 presidential election, in what marks his third – and potentially most serious – criminal case. The former president was indicted on four charges by a grand jury hearing evidence in special counsel Jack Smith’s investigation in efforts to overturn the 2020 election and the January 6 Capitol riot. The indictment also described six unnamed co-conspirators, now believed to be identified. Mr Trump has been ordered to make an initial appearance in federal court in Washington DC on Thursday, while the case has been assigned to US district judge Tanya Chutkan, a Barack Obama-appointee. Mr Trump has railed against the indictment and is calling for the “fake” case to be moved from Washington DC. In a late-night Truth Social rant on Wednesday, the former president fumed that it is “IMPOSSIBLE to get a fair trial” in the capital and demanded it be relocated to “the politically unbiased nearby State of West Virginia”. This is Mr Trump’s third criminal indictment and his second federal indictment. Read Trump’s indictment from the January 6 grand jury in full Read More When is Donald Trump’s arraignment? Should Trump go to jail? The 2024 election could become a referendum on that question Trump supporters falsely claim special counsel seeking death penalty in indictment over 2020 election Former prosecutor explains why Donald Trump was the main focus of the January 6 indictment
2023-08-03 16:58
Adidas brings in $437 million from selling Yeezy shoes that will benefit anti-hate groups
Adidas has brought in $437 million from the first release of Yeezy sneakers left over after breaking ties with Ye, the rapper formerly known as Kanye West
2023-08-03 16:54
Black parents and their children are more likely to experience unfair treatment when seeking medical care, study finds
Black parents and their children are more likely to experience unfair treatment when seeking medical care than others, a new study from the Urban Institute found.
2023-08-03 16:54
Pope Francis urges students in Portugal to fight economic injustice and protect the environment
Pope Francis is challenging university students to make the world a more just and inclusive place
2023-08-03 16:49
Why is Leah Remini suing the Church of Scientology? Actress claims organization and David Miscavige harassed and defamed her
Leah Remini alleged Scientology's 'mob style operations and attacks' had affected her personal and professional life
2023-08-03 16:29
ING Beats Estimates as Lower Loan Provisions Boost Profit
ING Groep NV reported second quarter profit that beat analyst estimates as it set aside less money for
2023-08-03 16:28
World Scout Jamboree: Scores hit by heat exhaustion in S Korea
43,000 people are participating in the annual event, scheduled to run until 12 August.
2023-08-03 16:25
Israel's Supreme Court hears case against a law protecting Netanyahu from being removed from office
Israel’s Supreme Court has heard a petition against a law that protects Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from being removed from office over claims of a conflict of interest because of his ongoing corruption trial
2023-08-03 16:23
Imran Khan: Pakistan military is 'petrified' of elections
In an interview with BBC Hardtalk, the former PM says only a free and fair vote can save Pakistan.
2023-08-03 16:18
The US wants Kenya to lead a force in Haiti with 1,000 police. Watchdogs say they'll export abuse
The United States is praising Kenya's interest in leading a multinational force in Haiti
2023-08-03 15:53
