Thai royal officials reject Parliament dissolution bid: Acting PM

Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox

Thai royal officials said it would be inappropriate to present the draft of the Royal Decree to Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn at this juncture.

Thai royal officials said it would be inappropriate to present the draft of the Royal Decree to Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn at this juncture.

PHOTO: AFP

Follow topic:

BANGKOK - Thai royal officials rejected a request by the ruling party to dissolve Parliament, the country’s acting prime minister said on Sept 4, clearing the way for a vote that could select his successor.

A power vacuum has consumed Thailand’s top office since Aug 29, when the Constitutional Court

sacked Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra

over an ethics breach.

A coalition of opposition MPs has backed conservative construction magnate Anutin Charnvirakul to take the top office, with a vote scheduled for Aug 5 at around 10am.

But Ms Paetongtarn’s Pheu Thai party – still governing in a caretaking capacity – had attempted to dissolve the legislature and block the vote, submitting its request to the palace.

Caretaker Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai said on his Facebook page that due to “disputed legal issues”, the Office of the Privy Council had informed him it was “inappropriate to present the draft of the Royal Decree to His Majesty at this time”. AFP

See more on