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Thai party that nominated Princess Ubolratana for PM faces dissolution, with constitutional court to rule
- The Thai Raksa Chart party is allied with populist former premier Thaksin Shinawatra
- Thaksin-linked parties have won every general election since 2001 resulting in two coups
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Thailand’s Election Commission on Wednesday asked the constitutional court to dissolve a political party that put forward a princess as candidate for prime minister, days after the move earned a royal rebuke from her brother, the king.
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Thailand has been mired in political drama since Friday, when Princess Ubolratana’s name was submitted by Thai Raksa Chart, a party allied with the powerful Shinawatra clan.
Ubolratana’s unprecedented bid to enter frontline politics unravelled within hours after King Maha Vajiralongkorn decried the entry of a royal into the political fray as “highly inappropriate”.
Thailand’s monarchy is seen as above politics, although royals have intervened in public during times of political crisis.
The princess was disqualified as a candidate by the Election Commission, which then filed a request with the constitutional court to have Thai Raksa Chart disbanded for bringing a royal family member into politics.
“That action is considered hostile to the constitutional monarchy,” it said.
The monarchy in Thailand is considered sacred and revered by its people, and is under the protection of draconian lèse-majesté laws. The king’s word is considered final.
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