As Thai court suspends Prayuth, ex-army ally takes over as ‘acting PM’
- Prawit Wongsuwon, an influential former general, will take over as prime minister in an ‘acting role’
- While Prayuth’s suspension, which comes amid a tanking economy and cost-of-living crisis, is unexpected, analysts say it doesn’t automatically herald a democratic dawn
Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha was suspended from office by a key court on Wednesday while it considers whether he has breached an eight-year term limit written into the constitution after a 2014 coup he orchestrated as army chief.
While the suspension of the powerful leader was unexpected, experts cautioned it did not automatically herald a new democratic dawn.
Prayuth, a general loathed by pro-democracy critics for seizing power from the kingdom’s last elected government eight years ago – but respected by the conservative establishment as the frontman for the coup – was installed as premier by a royal decree on August 24 that year.
A new constitution drawn up by his political allies three years later said no Thai premier could hold office for more than eight years.
On Wednesday as the clock ticked down on his tenure, the nine-member constitutional court agreed to his suspension, pending their full ruling – which may take about a month, according to observers.
