The Constitutional Court announced on Wednesday that it will deliver its verdict on the fate of Prime Minister Phay Thongsinghe Shinawatra on August 29 in a moral standards case over a phone conversation with the Cambodian Senate President Samdech Techo Hun Sen.
Yesterday, it was reported that Pheu Thai MPs had asked the country’s Constitutional Court to delay the verdict on the Thai Prime Minister.
No one knows what the Thai Constitutional Court will decide. But what is known is that Pheu Thai has lost power several times in the past, under the hands of the Constitutional Court, namely after Thaksin Shinawatra was overthrown in a coup in 2006.
Five Thai prime ministers who came to power under Thaksin’s shadow have lost power in succession at the hands of Thailand’s Constitutional Court, including Samak Sundaravej, who held office from January to September 2008. Then Somchai Wongsawat from September to December 2008. Yingluck Shinawatra from August 2011 to May 2014. And then Srettha Thavisin from August 2023 to August 2024.
In the event that Phay Thongthan can only hold office from August 2024 to July 2025, who could become the next Prime Minister of Thailand? Can Acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai ascend?
For Mr. Phumtham, he can only be acting prime minister. Because within the Pheu Thai Party, the candidate that Thaksin Samloeng really looked at when his daughter lost power was Chaikasem Nitisiri, a 76-year-old Thai lawyer and former Minister of Justice under Yingluck. Mr. Phumtham is currently embroiled in a court scandal involving a land dispute, and that is no small matter.
The next candidate could be Mr. Anutin Charnvirakul, the leader of the Phum Chai Thai Party, who was deputy prime minister and interior minister in the previous coalition government, but he resigned. The possibility is that he may join hands with the opposition Thai People’s Party to take over the interim government or caretaker government of Thailand.
In particular, a candidate who cannot be underestimated is the former Thai military chief who staged a coup and became the Prime Minister of Thailand for nearly 9 years, from August 24, 2014 to August 22, 2023, namely Prayut Chan-o-cha.
Prayut is not a popular leader in Thailand, but nevertheless, he is the longest-serving leader since 2006. So far, although he has not received the support of the Thai people who hold many votes, his political influence in the country still exists.
What is noteworthy is that during his leadership, relations and cooperation with countries in the region have been good, and the nationalist movement in Thailand has been calm, without any attacks, without any disturbances, which has led to relations with neighboring countries being only cooperation and development.
