Thailand held its general election on May 14th. On July 13th — almost two months since the election — the first round of voting for prime minister unfolded inconclusively. Then, on July 19th, the scheduled second round did not happen at all, with Parliament voting that Pita Limjaroenrat could not be submitted for consideration twice.
It has been a remarkably drawn out process, only to reach the conclusion that most of us could have guessed a long time ago: Pita would not be allowed to become prime minister, and someone else will take the reins. Parliament voted to deny Pita a second shot at being re-nominated. It was only a formality that finalized what has long been certain.
As the legal scholar Dr. Bowornsak Uwanno has noted, this stands on dubious legal grounds at best. But the decision has been made; now, the real action will take place.
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