In a 5:4 vote on the afternoon of August 14, 2024 (local time), Thailand’s Constitutional Court ruled that the appointment made during the cabinet reshuffle of the Thai government this year violated Thai laws. As the Prime Minister, Srettha Thavisin bears direct responsibility and must immediately cease his duties as Prime Minister, with the ruling taking effect immediately. It is understood that he is the fourth Thai Prime Minister in 16 years to be dismissed by the court.
Previously, a joint petition from 40 senators demanded the dismissal of Prime Minister Srettha and former Minister of the Prime Minister’s Office, Pichit, alleging that Srettha knowingly appointed Pichit as a cabinet minister despite his previous conviction and six-month imprisonment for violating the law, which is not in line with appointment criteria and violate the law, there by warranting his dismissal. Before the ruling, Srettha Thavisin stated, “We have done our utmost and submitted our closing arguments. I have formulated plans based on the needs of the people, which the acting Prime Minister can consider.”
Earlier, a group of former senators accused him of violating ethical norms by appointing an attorney with a criminal record, Biphet, to the cabinet and demanded his resignation.
Who is Srettha Thavisin?
Born on February 15, 1962, in Bangkok, Thailand, Srettha Thavisin graduated from Chulalongkorn University and Claremont Graduate University.
At the age of 26, he founded Sansiri Real Estate Company, which under his management later became one of Thailand’s largest real estate developers. Srettha Thavisin served as President and CEO of Sansiri for a long time until April 2023, when he resigned from the company and transferred all his shares to his daughter, Chanada Thavisin.
On August 22, 2023, Srettha Thavisin, a candidate from the Pheu Thai Party, was elected Thailand’s 30th Prime Minister with a majority of votes in the Thai parliament. On the evening of May 3, 2024 (local time), Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin and the reshuffled cabinet members took the oath of office before King Maha Vajiralongkorn at the Dusit Palace in Bangkok.
In October 2023, Srettha Thavisin visited China for a state visit, attended the 3rd Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, and held talks with Chinese Premier Li Qiang and President Xi Jinping in Beijing. During his tenure, he announced that Thailand would unilaterally grant a five-month visa-free policy to Chinese citizens. On January 28 of this year, the Chinese and Thai governments signed a visa exemption agreement in Bangkok, which took effect from March 1, seamlessly connecting with the previous visa-free policy.
What will Happens After the Prime Minister’s Dismissal?
Thai local media points out that if the court forcibly removes Srettha Thavisin from his position, Thailand may face two scenarios. Firstly, the current cabinet becomes a caretaker cabinet, with one of the deputy prime ministers being elected as the acting Prime Minister, who will dissolve the parliament and hold general elections in accordance with the constitutional powers. Secondly, the caretaker cabinet can elect a new Prime Minister based on constitutional powers.
Candidates for the Prime Minister position must come from political parties that won at least 25 seats in last year’s election, including the Pheu Thai Party, the Progressive Party, the Thai Proud Party, the Civil Power Party, the Thai Unity Party, and the Democrat Party. However, the Progressive Party also faces the possibility of being forcibly dissolved by the Constitutional Court, —-as reported earlier by the Thai newspaper The Nation.
author by Ganjiguang
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