The House of Representatives will meet this Friday to vote on a new prime minister to replace former premier Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who was removed from office last week.
In a letter to MPs, Arphat Sooknan, Secretary General of the House, said that the House Speaker has ordered the inclusion of a special agenda item in Friday’s session to select the new prime minister.
The additional agenda follows reports that Acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai’s submission of a royal decree to His Majesty the King seeking a House dissolution has been rejected.
This morning, Phumtham confirmed that he submitted the decree yesterday, seeking royal approval to dissolve the House of Representatives.
His move came after his Pheu Thai Party failed to secure support from the People’s Party for its prime ministerial candidate, Chaikasem Nitisiri.
The People’s Party, which controls 143 MPs, instead announced its support today for Bhumjaithai Party leader Anutin Charnvirakul to assume the premiership.
It is widely believed that Phumtham sought dissolution of the House to block Anutin’s appointment, as Anutin, backed by the People’s Party’s 143 MPs, would likely defeat Chaikasem in a parliamentary vote.
The fact that the House is now scheduled to vote for a new prime minister this Friday indicates that Phumtham’s request was rejected.
Reports circulating this afternoon said the Privy Council, in its role as the body responsible for reviewing documents and providing advisory opinions before royal consideration and signature, had returned the draft decree to the Secretariat of the Cabinet.
The Council reportedly concluded that the submission was not in line with proper procedures for seeking royal approval, citing a legal dispute over whether a caretaker government has the authority to propose such a decree.
It also referenced the opinion of the Secretary General of the Council of State, who maintained that a caretaker administration cannot submit a draft royal decree to dissolve the House.
