Thailand acting leader moves to dissolve parliament to block rival’s PM bid

Thailand’s acting prime minister has moved to dissolve parliament, his party said on Wednesday, after the largest opposition party backed a rival candidate to lead the country.

Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra was ousted last week by the Constitutional Court over her handling of a border row with Cambodia, leaving a power vacuum in the kingdom’s top office as rival factions jostled to replace her.

Her Pheu Thai party – still governing in a caretaker capacity – was jostling for support from the largest opposition bloc, the People’s Party, to confirm a new candidate for prime minister.

But the People’s Party declared its support for conservative tycoon Anutin Charnvirakul instead.

Just moments later, Pheu Thai secretary general Sorawong Thienthong said that acting prime minister Phumtham Wechayachai “has submitted a house dissolution decree”.

According to the Thai constitution, if the king approves the dissolution of parliament, an election must take place between 45 and 60 days later.

Pheu Thai is the current electoral vehicle of the Shinawatra dynasty, which has for two decades jousted with the kingdom’s pro-monarchy, pro-military elite.