How long is too long? The 8-year chronicles of a coup prime minister
Prayut Chan-o-cha, Thailand’s long-serving PM, is known for his song “Returning Happiness to the People", written in the days after the coup, with the hope of mending relations between the military and the people, asking “for a little more time” and “promising to return the country to the people”
… But that was 8 long years ago.
The biggest question in Thai politics has been how long would Prayut be able to stay in power as prime minister. The 23rd of August 2022 marked the completion of his eight years in office. The current Constitution stipulates that an individual shall not hold the office of prime minister for more than eight years.
Opposition MPs had submitted a petition to House Speaker Chuan Leekpai to forward to the Constitutional Court for a ruling on whether Prayut’s eight-year term as PM will end on Wednesday in keeping with the current Constitution.
As of today, the Constitutional Court has accepted the petition and ruled to suspend Prayut from his duties as prime minister immediately, with the judges voting 5:4 to take up the opposition's petition.
Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan will step up and take over as prime minister until the Constitutional Court judges can decide on the length of Prayut’s tenure as PM, which could take up to one month.
The opposition has insisted that Prayut’s time as PM should be counted from August 24, 2014, when he became premier after leading a military coup in May that year.
People have been holding their breath, waiting for the Constitutional Court to deliver its decision. Will Prayut be able to extend his reign by four more years? Or will they decide that his time is up?
Whatever the court’s decision, it is sure to displease many people.
Many were hoping that Prayut would opt to resign, thereby saving the country from the political heat generated by anti-government protests, and paving the way for democratic elections to appoint a new Prime Minister to tackle the big challenges that lie ahead for Thailand.
Picture Credit: A person holds up a picture of Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha during a protest by Thai political groups opposed to Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, near Government House, ahead of a Constitutional Court decision on when his eight-year PM terms ends, in Bangkok, Thailand August 23, 2022.REUTERS/Soe Zeya Tun
