Thai Prime Minister Prayut survives no-confidence vote in parliament

On Wednesday, the ruling party in Thailand, Pheu Thai, led by Prime Minister Paetongtarn, survived a vote of no confidence in parliament with the support of the majority of legislators. This marked her first test in office for over six months.

Out of 488 legislators participating in the vote, Paetongtarn Shinawatra received support from 319 members.

The opposition alliance led by the People’s Party initiated the motion of no confidence against Prime Minister Paetongtarn. Starting from Monday, parliamentarians questioned Paetongtarn for two consecutive days.

The opposition criticized Paetongtarn for lacking experience and capability to govern the country, resulting in a sluggish economy in Thailand. They also accused her of tax evasion, nepotism, and being controlled by her father, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Paetongtarn denied all allegations made against her.

At 38 years old, Paetongtarn had never held any public office before. She took over the position of Prime Minister after her ally Srettha Thavisin was dismissed by the Thai Constitutional Court for serious ethical violations.

Despite low approval ratings in public opinion polls and slower economic growth compared to regional counterparts, the results of the vote indicated that her coalition of 11 parties remained solid.

Paetongtarn took to social media to express gratitude for the support of her coalition partners.

Paetongtarn is the youngest daughter of former Prime Minister Thaksin. Thaksin was barred from holding public office due to conflicts of interest and abuse of power, leading to self-imposed exile overseas for 15 years.

In 2023, Thaksin returned to Thailand and after six months of detention in a hospital, he was granted parole and announced his retirement from politics.

Subsequently, Thaksin frequently commented publicly on government policies in Thailand, emphasizing that he was only offering advice to his daughter.

As the fourth member of the Shinawatra family to hold a top position in Thailand, Paetongtarn asserted during questioning by legislators that she worked diligently for the country and should be judged based on her performance rather than family ties.

Leader of the People’s Party, Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut, stated that despite the rejection of the no-confidence motion, Paetongtarn was still unfit for the position of Prime Minister.

Natthaphong said, “If Thailand has an incompetent Prime Minister, the country will suffer losses.”

Currently, the ruling coalition in Thailand controls 320 out of 500 seats in the lower house, and a motion against the Prime Minister requires the approval of a majority of attending legislators to pass.

(This article is based on reports from Reuters)