Phumtham Wechayachai of the Pheu Thai party has been named acting Prime Minister after a court in Thailand removed Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin on Wednesday from office over an ethical violation.
Phumtham was first deputy prime minister and commerce minister under Srettha. Just last week, a court ordered the dissolution of the main opposition party.
The Constitutional Court ruled on a case involving Srettha’s appointment of a Cabinet member who had been to prison over alleged attempt to bribe a court official.
In a 5:4 vote, the court ruled in to remove Srettha from office immediately.
A caretaker will take over the cabinet pending approval by Parliament for a new prime minister.
There is no time limit for Parliament to fill the position. The caretaker Cabinet could also dissolve Parliament and call a new election.
If Parliament is tasked with choosing a new prime minister, it can select from a roster of candidates nominated for the post last year by the major political parties.
The Pheu Thai Party, to which Srettha belongs, has two eligible candidates, including Paetongtarn Shinawatra, the daughter of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
Another candidate is Bhumjaithai Party’s leader, Anutin Charnvirakul. The party emerged third in last year’s election.
He is currently a deputy prime minister and interior minister. Charnvirakul, a powerbroker in the vote-rich northeast whose family owns a major construction company, was once in a military-backed government and the civilian one that it replaced.
Two former senior military officers: Prayuth Chan-ocha — former prime minister following a 2014 coup and Prawit Wongsuwan, who was one of Prayuth’s deputy prime ministers.
Shortly after the verdict, Srettha thanked the judges for giving him the opportunity to defend himself. He said he respected the ruling and that he always sought to act ethically during his time in office.
“I’m sorry that I’d be considered as a prime minister who’s unethical, but that’s not who I am,” he said.
Srettha had appointed Pichit Chuenban as a minister of the Prime Minister’s Office in a Cabinet reshuffle in April. Pichit was jailed for six months in 2008 on contempt of court charges after he allegedly tried to bribe a judge with 2 million baht ($55,000) in cash in a grocery bag over a case involving Thaksin, the former prime minister.
Although Chuenban resigned from the post weeks after being appointed when controversy over the incident was revived, the court insists that although Pichit has already served his jail term, his behavior — as ruled by the Supreme Court — was dishonest.