Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha is set to retire from politics, nine years after he took power in a military coup and promised to stay in charge only temporarily.
Key points:
- Mr Prayuth will remain in office as caretaker until a new government is formed
- The former army chief and staunch royalist led a coup in 2014
- He led a led a junta until an election in 2019
His announcement was widely expected after his military-backed United Thai Nation party was thumped in a May 14 election, in which it won just 36 of the 500 house seats.
He will remain caretaker premier until a new government is formed.
The former army chief, a staunch royalist, led a junta until an election in 2019 and was chosen by parliament to remain prime minister for four more years, an outcome his opponents insist was pre-determined.
Mr Prayuth, 69, has denied that and on Tuesday said he had “achieved many successes”.
“I as prime minister have worked hard to protect the nation, religion, monarchy for the benefit of the beloved people,” he said in a statement.
“The result is currently bearing fruit for the public.
“I have tried to strengthen the country in all areas for stability and peace and overcame many obstacles domestically and internationally.”
In the nine years since his coup, Mr Prayuth has survived multiple challenges via court cases, house confidence votes and street protests by opponents who have seen him as an opportunist who lacked a public mandate.
His announcement comes as the new parliament prepares to convene on Thursday to hold a vote on who will be the next prime minister, an outcome far from certain.
Frontrunner for next PM rallies supporters
Thailand’s progressive frontrunner for prime minister told supporters on Sunday he would “not step back” ahead of a parliamentary vote this week that will determine if he will lead the country.
Pita Limjaroenrat’s pro-democracy Move Forward Party (MFP) netted the most seats at the May 14 election but there are no guarantees it will be able to form government.
MFP’s eight-party coalition has 312 lower house seats but remains short of the 376 votes needed across both houses of parliament to endorse Mr Pita for the top job.
He faces resistance from the military-appointed, 250-member Senate due to his party’s controversial push to reform Thailand’s royal defamation laws, as well as plans to shake up business monopolies.
Meanwhile, outside parliament, he is being investigated over claims he was ineligible to run for office since he allegedly owned shares in a now-defunct media company. Legislators are not allowed to own media shares.
Mr Pita says the kingdom faces a momentous day this week when both the upper and lower houses vote.
“If you do not step back, I won’t,” he told hundreds of supporters gathered in the rain in central Bangkok.
“If we make the right decision and give Thailand a chance, our country will develop.”
But if the decision was wrong, he said, Thailand’s cycle of poor democracy would continue.
“I don’t know how long we will have to wait before the golden chance of July 13 will come again,” he added, referring to the date of the vote.
Mr Pita urged senators to remember “we’re all the people’s politicians”.
The United Thai Nation Party said last week it was considering whether to put up a rival candidate against Mr Pita.