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 party, 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.
With more than 700 of 749 votes counted, he was unable to secure majority support.
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.
Move Forward had campaigned on he promise of major reforms, including breaking up monopolies, ending military conscription, removing the military’s influence from politics and amending a strict law that forbids criticism of the monarchy.
The pledge on the monarchy is highly controversial among conservatives, and in a parliamentary session held before the vote, it was repeatedly cited as a reason why senators and lawmakers would not support him. Some accused him of risking chaos and of seeking to undermine the royal family.
“It’s clear that this operation is aiming to overthrow [the royals]. How can we, the senators, support you to do this?” said one senator, Seree Suwanpanont.
Two days have been set aside for a repeat of the ballot next week, and Pita can run again. It is likely that Move Forward’s coalition partner, Pheu Thai, the party associated with exiled leader Thaksin Shinawatra, will put forward a candidate for either the second or third ballot.
If Pita does run again, he is unlikely to be able to build enough to pass, said Punchada Sirivunnabood, an associate professor at Mahidol University in Salaya, Nakhon Pathom province. “For the senate, it’s going to be very difficult for [Move Forward] to get more votes in the second round, and the dangerous thing is those who voted [for] might be lobbied by other senators to not vote in the second round.”
A scenario where a Pheu Thai candidate is selected as prime minister may be acceptable to some voters, including those who simply want an end to Prayuth Chan-ocha, a former army chief who has been in power since he led a coup in 2014, said Punchada.
But young people are less likely to be satisfied with this arrangement, she added, and will protest.
Crowds gathered in the evening in central Bangkok on Wednesday, with some holding signs that read “Respect my vote” and “Senators don’t vote against the people’s will”.
Arnon Nampa, a human rights lawyer and activist who was at the forefront of monarchy reform protests that erupted in 2020, addressed crowds in Bangkok, saying: “Tomorrow, if we are betrayed, if we are prevented from having a government elected by the people, we will definitely stand up and fight.”
