Winning leader meets fresh obstacles in PM bid

FE Team | Published: July 20, 2023 00:13:44

BANGKOK, July 19 (Reuters): The leader of Thailand's election-winning Move Forward Party met fresh obstacles in his prime ministerial bid on Wednesday, as a court suspended him as a lawmaker and rivals successfully scuttled his re-nomination in parliament.
US-educated liberal Pita Limjaroenrat has an extremely difficult path to the top job and must overcome fierce resistance from a royalist military at odds with his party's anti-establishment ambitions.
After more than seven hours of debate on a challenge to Pita's candidacy before a planned parliamentary vote on Wednesday, lawmakers voided his nomination, with opponents arguing a motion for him to be endorsed as premier had already been rejected when he was defeated in last week's vote.
As the debate ensued, the Constitutional Court separately announced Pita had been suspended as a lawmaker over an allegation he violated election rules by holding shares in a media firm, taking on its second case against him in six days.
The suspension does not bar Pita from running for premier but it was not immediately clear whether his eight-party alliance would seek to re-nominate him, by filing a different motion.