Thailand caretaker PM and ex-coup leader Prayut to quit politics

BANGKOK: Thailand’s caretaker Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha announced on Tuesday (Jul 11) he will quit politics and leave the United Thai Nation Party, ahead of a parliamentary vote to select the next prime minister.

The retired general shared the message on his party’s Facebook page, while thanking people for supporting him and his political group in the general election on May 14.

“I would like to announce that I will retire from politics by resigning my membership of the United Thai Nation Party,” he said.

“I would also like to ask the party leader, party executives and party members to continue their political activities with the unwavering ideology, protect the nation, the religion and the monarchy, and take care of the people of Thailand.”

Gen Prayut became prime minister in 2014 after leading a coup d’etat to overthrow Yingluck Shinawatra’s democratically elected government.

His military junta ruled Thailand for nearly five years before a general election was held in 2019 under a new constitution written by a military-appointed committee.

At that time, he was the sole prime ministerial candidate of the pro-junta party Palang Pracharat. The party managed to form the government with its political allies, although it was the opposition Pheu Thai Party that had a majority of seats in the Lower House.

On May 14 this year, his new party United Thai Nation lost the election to the Move Forward Party, which won 151 seats in parliament.

Move Forward then formed a coalition with seven political allies, namely Pheu Thai, Prachachat, Thai Liberal Party, Thai Sang Thai, Fair, Plung Sungkom Mai and Pue Thai Rumphlang.

Together, they have 312 seats in the 500-member House of Representatives.