Acting PM cannot dissolve parliament, warns Council of State Secretary-General

Pakorn Nilprapunt, Secretary-General of the Council of State, has stated that the acting Prime Minister does not have the authority to dissolve parliament. Referring to his earlier guidance, Pakorn explained that dissolving parliament is a power granted exclusively to the Prime Minister under parliamentary confidence. In his personal opinion, he said, such action cannot be undertaken by an acting PM.

When asked about potential issues if the government were to announce a dissolution, Pakorn emphasised the need for careful consideration. “It is the responsibility of the government to exercise discretion, but they must weigh what is permissible and what is not,” he said. “All actions should be undertaken with caution, avoiding any impact on the monarchy. The King remains uninvolved in politics, and this is a general principle. Anyone proposing actions must take full responsibility for them.”

On whether ministerial titles should retain the term “acting,” Pakorn said the convention remains unchanged. He noted that Phumtham Wechayachai, as acting Prime Minister, will be formally appointed once the cabinet’s term ends.

Pakorn further clarified the distinction between the current caretaker government and a government during a parliamentary dissolution. “Because the Prime Minister’s tenure has ended, the entire cabinet must also step down. The constitution requires that the outgoing cabinet continue in a caretaker role until a new cabinet is formed. This differs from a situation where parliament is dissolved or reaches the end of its term, which triggers a general election and imposes certain limitations on a caretaker cabinet,” he said. “The current cabinet does not operate under those conditions and retains full powers as normal. It is important to convey this clearly to avoid public confusion.”