BANGKOK, Aug 16 — The long-awaited vote to choose Thailand's new prime minister will take place on August 22, according to Speaker Wan Muhamad Noor Matha.
The announcement came after the Constitutional Court earlier today rejected a petition to review the Parliamentary decision that prevented Pita Limjaroenrat, the leader of the Move Forward Party (MFP), from being renominated for a second term as prime minister.
The Speaker said a meeting to discuss the agenda for the prime ministerial vote on next Tuesday will be held tomorrow.
“The joint meeting is scheduled for Tuesday at 9.30am (local time),” he said in a statement.
Political uncertainty in Thailand is growing following the parliamentary deadlock, three months after the May 14 General Election.
MFP, which won 151 seats, making it the biggest winner in the general elections had failed in its bid to form a government following its plan to amend laws that criminalise royal insult, particularly Article 112 of the criminal code or lèse-majesté.
Pheu Thai Party, which came second in the general election with 141 seats and now leading a new coalition of nine parties after abandoning MFP, is now the forerunner in the bid to form the government.
It is widely expected to nominate political greenhorn and tycoon Srettha Thavisin as its choice for prime minister.
At present, the coalition has a total of 238 seats in the 500-member House of Representatives. However, it is still short of the required backing, which needs to be supplemented by support from the 250 senators in the Senate as a prime minister needed 376 votes in the 750-member bicameral Parliament to form a government.
— Bernama
