The suspended Thai Prime Minister, Prayut Chan-O-Cha, can resume his functions, decided Friday September 30 the constitutional court of the country, estimating that he had not reached the limit of eight years fixed for his mandate.
The former army chief, who came to power in a military coup in 2014, was suspended last month while the court considered an opposition complaint that he had reached the limit of its mandate.
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Bangkok authorities were on alert for possible unrest after the ruling, with several groups of protesters warning they would take to the streets if the court ruled in favor of Prayut.
"
The Constitutional Court has decided by majority that the respondent Prime Minister has not reached the eight-year limit
," Judge Punya Udchacon said as he read the ruling by 6 to 3 votes.
Legal conflict
“
The beginning of the functions of head of government of the defendant is counted from April 6, 2017
”, that is to say the date of entry into force of the Constitution, added the Court.
Article 158 limits the term of office of the Prime Minister to eight years.
But the text did not specify the starting point of the calculation, leaving a legal void that the Court has just resolved.
This decision allows him to stay until 2025, if he retains his post in the election scheduled for early next year.
Prayut, 68, welcomed the decision on his Facebook page, saying he would use the remaining time to advance infrastructure projects.
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“
I will do my best and work with all my might to change the country
,” he wrote.
His opponents, who launched the process in August to seize the Court, pleaded for the retroactivity of the Constitution, therefore believing that the former general had reached the limit in August.
After his suspension, his deputy Prawit Wongsuwan took over as caretaker prime minister, while Prayut remained defense minister.
But this episode made him "
lose face
" in the eyes of the public, said Napisa Waitoolkiat, a political scientist from Naresuan University.
Protests against Prayut
Prayut and his party, the Palang Pracharat, are losing ground in the electorate, while households are suffering from the weakness of the Thai economy.
A poll of 2,500 people in early September found that only 10.5 percent of those polled backed Prayut, who comes in only fourth among the preferred figures for the post of prime minister.
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He was also targeted during the large youth-led pro-democracy rallies that erupted in Bangkok in 2020 demanding his resignation and societal reform.
“
I think there will be protests in the streets and demonstrations in Bangkok against the decision
”, if it is favorable to Prayut, estimated the political scientist Thursday.
Three groups of young protesters have already announced rallies.
National police deputy spokesman Kissana Phathanacharoen told AFP officers would be deployed to provide security near the court and in central Bangkok.
Meanwhile, authorities announced late Thursday that there would be a restricted area around the court.
In November, Thailand will host world leaders at the APEC summit in Bangkok, an event that Prayut can chair, as he hoped.
