Thailand Faces Political Crisis as Parties Disagree on Next Steps

Bangkok, Sep 3 (AP) Thailand, experiencing political turbulence, observed divergent approaches to resolve the ongoing crisis on Wednesday. The country's principal opposition party opted to support its adversary for the role of prime minister, while the ruling party expressed a desire for new elections.

The Pheu Thai party, currently leading the caretaker government, declared its intention to request the king to dissolve Parliament and call for fresh elections, as opposed to having the existing House of Representatives select a new prime minister.

No parliamentary vote date has been set, and it remains uncertain if the king will endorse this dissolution.

Recently, the Constitutional Court removed Paetongtarn Shinawatra from her role as prime minister due to an ethics violation involving a phone call with Cambodia's Senate President, Hun Sen, over a contentious border dispute that led to a deadly five-day conflict in July.

Only King Maha Vajiralongkorn has the authority to dissolve Parliament. Nonetheless, the Council of State, which offers legal advice to the government, has suggested that a caretaker prime minister is unable to call for dissolution unless there's a deadlock in selecting a new prime minister.

The opposition People's Party, the largest in Parliament, announced its intention to support Anutin Charnvirakul, leader of the Bhumjaithai party, for the prime ministerial role.

Leader Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut of the People's Party criticized the Pheu Thai party's governance over the past two years.

However, their backing is contingent upon an agreement signed by Anutin, which necessitates that the new government dissolve the House of Representatives within four months and initiate a general election.

If Anutin leads, his government would also pledge to hold a referendum on constitutional amendments, potentially enabling the drafting of a new constitution by an elected assembly. The People's Party has long advocated for constitutional reforms for a more democratic framework.

Acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai, seeking a royal decree for Parliament's dissolution, cautioned about the economic impacts of prolonged political instability. "Considering all these challenges, our lawmakers believe we should return power to the people and let them decide,” he stated.

The People's Party, previously named the Move Forward Party, had secured the most seats in the 2023 election, yet was obstructed from governing. This was largely due to a joint vote by the House and Senate that failed to endorse its candidate. Senators, appointed by a military regime and aligning with Thailand's royalist conservative base, opposed the progressive party for its monarchial reform proposals.

Subsequently, the Pheu Thai party managed to secure approval for its candidate, real estate executive Srettha Thavisin, as prime minister to lead a coalition government. However, his term lasted just a year before the Constitutional Court dismissed him over ethical breaches.

Likewise, Srettha's successor, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, Thaksin Shinawatra's daughter, served a brief term of one year.

Even prior to her removal, Paetongtarn's administration was significantly weakened when Anutin's Bhumjaithai Party exited her coalition following her contentious call with Cambodia's Hun Sen in June. This move dwindled Pheu Thai's coalition, leaving it with a minimal and fragile majority in Parliament. (AP) GSP

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