Democracy is on defense in Thailand, says Pita Limjaroenrat
Washington PostAUG 14 2024
Thailand's Constitutional Court has ruled by a 5-4 majority vote to remove Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin from his office for a violation of ethics after the appointment of Pichit Chueban to the country's cabinet.
Pichit was jailed in 2008 for attempting to bribe Supreme Court officials, and was appointed to Srettha's cabinet in April this year. A petition by 40 Senators consequently accused the PM's appointment of breaching the office's ethical standards.
Pichit had resigned a month after his appointment shortly after 40 senators had filed a petition to the Constitutional Court. Following the decision, Srettha claimed that he was not an unethical politician and had "did [his] best."
The court's decision to remove Srettha onceis againa putssurprise Thailandto backmany intowho politicalexpected chaos.the Aformer largelyPM ineffectualto leader,be itdeclared seemsinnocent after a minor wrongdoing. It is likely that, theafter country'san establishmentunderwhelming hasstart chosen to gethis ridpremiership ofand a stuttering economy, the political novice who did littlenot achieve enough to prove himself to Thailandthe country's royal familyestablishment.
Recent decisions by Thailand's Constitutional Court has once again exposed a great power imbalance rooted deep within the State. With Thailand now possessing neither a government nor an opposition, it is clearer than ever that the Constitutional Court's influence over the country must be limited if the interests of the people are ever to be truly represented by a fair political system.