Law professor says PM Prayut must step down by Aug 24
A law professor says Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha must step down by August 24, when his eight-year term in office legally comes to an end.
Prinya Thaewanarumitkul, a public law professor at Thammasat University, was speaking on Friday at a seminar held by relatives of victims of 1992’s Black May crackdown.
Prof Prinya said political problems would worsen if PM Prayut decided to extend his term beyond the legal limit.
The current Constitution sets the maximum tenure for a prime minister at eight years. However, dispute exists over whether Prayut’s term as PM should be counted from 2014, when he took the post after conducting a coup as Army chief, or from 2019 when he was selected by Parliament after the general election.
Prinya said Prayut’s government had taken an unprecedented toll on Thailand’s three pillars over the past eight years, referring to nation, religion and monarchy.
He added that the PM’s decision to extend his time in power after the coup was at the root of the political problems afflicting the country.
Prayut had asked for a short time in power so he could “return happiness to the people”, said Prinya, but had then extended his power thanks to the junta-appointed Senate while also amending the law to prevent scrutiny of his assets.
He added that questions remained over when Prayut’s term as PM started – in 2014, in 2017 (when the Constitution was enacted), or in 2019.
However, PM Prayut’s tenure will legally end on August 24 this year, insisted Prinya, citing guidance given by the former president of the Constitutional Court.
Prinya expected an MP to file an appeal with the Constitutional Court soon against any extension beyond that date. Or the Election Commission (EC) could file an appeal directly, he said. Prayut would be forced to suspend his duties as PM immediately after the court received the appeal, he added.
