Prime Minister Prayut seeks a new term with a new party

The coup general who became prime minister had to change political parties in order to participate in the next elections, scheduled for May. He said he was running for him to “protect” Thailand and out of “a sense of duty”. The opposition questions his figure and the latest election results.

Bangkok () – Out of a sense of duty and to “complete his work” are the reasons that led the former coup general and later prime minister -in civilian clothes-, Prayut Chan-ocha, to present his candidacy for a new term yesterday . However, to do so he had to switch parties from Palang Pracharath (which he himself had helped found in March 2018 to give legitimacy to the military), to the newly formed United Nations Party of Thailand (Ruam Thai Sang chart). He was later joined by several leading politicians from Palang Pracharat itself, but also from the Democratic Party and others.

In his speech, Prayut, 68, has reaffirmed that his objective is not to aspire to power or seek benefits for himself, but -according to a consolidated nationalist praxis- for the “duty to protect this sacred land and preserve the three pillars of nation, religion (Buddhist) and monarchy.” Therefore, he needs a new mandate to complete his “unfinished mission” that he intends to carry out “no matter how difficult or tensions it may cause.”

“Everything I have done – the former general reiterated – is for a sustainable future. I will leave no one behind until I hand the country over to the next generation.”

In more than eight years at the head of Thailand and its 66 million inhabitants, Prayut has overcome several motions of no confidence in Parliament without ever giving in to the protests in the streets of the opposition, which does not recognize him legitimacy, considers him incapable of driving the country and points it out as guarantor of a ruling class that protects the interests of the monarchy, the armed forces and the oligarchy.

Prayut was at the forefront of the repression against the Red Shirt uprising between April and May 2010, headed the military junta after the coup on May 22, 2014, was later prime minister elected by a National Assembly without a mandate popular and remained in power even after the 2019 elections which, for his opponents, were organized in such a way as to allow him to win.

The hopes of his immediate exit from the scene were shattered when on September 30 the Constitutional Court ruled that the first three years in power, as head of the Military Junta, should not be included in the eight terms granted by the Constitution (approved under military control in 2016). Consequently, if he is re-elected on May 7, Prayut will be able to remain in office for a maximum of half a term.