The former army chief’s party lost May’s election to a party that challenged the royalist military establishment.
Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha has announced his retirement from politics and vows to temporarily remain in charge, nine years after taking power in a military coup.
His announcement on Tuesday followed the heavy defeat of his military-backed United Thai Nation party in the May 14 election, which won just 36 of 500 house seats. A nascent movement of young monarchy critics, led by the progressive Move Forward Party, emerged as the biggest winner of the election.
Prayuth will remain acting Prime Minister until a new government is formed.
Prayuth and controversies
The former army chief, a staunch royalist, led a military government until elections in 2019 and was elected by parliament to remain prime minister for another four years.
In the nine years since his coup, Prayuth has survived multiple challenges through lawsuits, no-confidence votes in the House, and street protests from opponents who saw him as an opportunist with no public mandate.
His detractors have long claimed that the 2019 election result was predetermined, which the 69-year-old Prayuth has denied.
Prayuth said in a statement Tuesday that he had “achieved many achievements” during his time in power.
“I have worked hard as Prime Minister to protect the nation, religion and monarchy for the benefit of the beloved people. The result is currently paying off for the public,” he said.
“I have tried to strengthen the country in all areas for stability and peace and have overcome many obstacles at home and abroad.”
His announcement comes as the new parliament prepares to meet on Thursday to vote on who will be the next prime minister, an outcome that is far from certain.
Lèse majeste law in the spotlight
The role of the monarchy in Thailand is at the center of political debate in Thailand as reformers seek to dislodge the royalist military establishment’s grip on power.
The Move Forward Party, led by 42-year-old Pita Limjaroenrat, won a stunning victory with its allies in May’s elections. Still, reforms aimed at the monarchy could stand in the way of Pita becoming prime minister.
One such reform is Move Forward’s proposal to amend the lèse-majesté law, Article 112 of the Penal Code, which punishes insulting the monarchy with up to 15 years in prison.
In a country where reverence for the monarch has been promoted as central to national identity for decades, the idea is so radical that minority parties and many members of the senate nominee have vowed to stop Pita from becoming prime minister.