Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha has been temporarily suspended by the country’s constitutional court.
Al-Jazeera reported this information in a report on Wednesday, August 24. The country’s former army chief and current deputy prime minister Prawit Ongsuan may take over as interim prime minister.
Prayuth led the overthrow of the elected government in 2014. Later in 2019, he was elected as the civilian prime minister in the elections held under the new constitution drafted by the country’s army.
According to the army-promoted constitution, Prime Minister Prayuth can serve two terms for a maximum of eight years. Accordingly, he will have the opportunity to stay in power until the next year 2025 or 2027.
However, the opposition parties complain that Prayuth has been in power since 2014 as the head of the junta. As a result, that time should also be kept in his prime ministership. And Prayuth’s term is ending this month.
The country’s court said in a statement on Wednesday that Prayuth will have 15 days to defend himself.
And all four judges of the court’s five-judge panel ruled in favor of Prayuth’s dismissal. This judgment will be effective from Wednesday.
(24 Aug)