Arrr! The Thai PM be walkin' the plank as the court be investigatin' his shady Cabinet appointment! Shiver me timbers!
2024-05-23
Arrr mateys, the Constitutional Court o' Thailand has taken up a petition from the old swashbucklers in the Senate to dig into Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin's shenanigans in appointin' a Cabinet matey. Aye, the political waters be gettin' choppy indeed!
Avast ye mateys! The Constitutional Court of Thailand has accepted a petition from members of the Senate to investigate the prime minister for appointing a Cabinet member. If found guilty, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin could be walking the plank!The court found that Srettha's appointment of Pichit Chuenban violated the constitution's integrity requirements for ministerial positions. Pichit, who once tried to bribe a judge with $55,000 in a grocery bag, resigned from his post after only 23 days to "protect" the prime minister.This challenge from 40 senators comes as Srettha's government faces its biggest threat since taking power in 2023. The court's decision not to suspend the prime minister is just the beginning of this high-seas drama.The court's history of favoring the conservative establishment, suspicious of populist parties like Srettha's, stems from the ousting of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra in 2006. Thaksin's influence still looms large, leading to ongoing political battles in Thailand.In a showdown last July, the military-appointed Senate blocked the candidate of the winning party from becoming prime minister, showcasing the continued struggle between traditional elites and populist movements in the country.