Thailand’s caretaker PM Prayuth Chan-ocha retires from politics, 9 years after coup
- Prayuth took power in a coup as army chief nine years ago
- He will remain caretaker premier until a new government is formed
Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha announced on Tuesday his retirement from politics, nine years after he took power in a military coup, and promised to stay in charge only temporarily.
His announcement was widely expected after his military-backed United Thai Nation party was thumped in a May 14 election, in which it won just 36 of the 500 house seats. He will remain caretaker premier until a new government is formed.
The former army chief, a staunch royalist, led a junta until an election in 2019 and was chosen by parliament to remain prime minister for four more years, an outcome his opponents insist was predetermined.
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Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha retires from politics 9 years after leading a coup
Prayuth, 69, has denied that and on Tuesday said he had “achieved many successes”.
“I as prime minister have worked hard to protect the nation, religion, monarchy for the benefit of the beloved people. The result is currently bearing fruit for the public,” he said in a statement.
“I have tried to strengthen the country in all areas for stability and peace and overcame many obstacles domestically and internationally.”
In the nine years since his coup, Prayuth has survived multiple challenges via court cases, house confidence votes and street protests by opponents who saw him as an opportunist who lacked a public mandate.
His announcement comes as the new parliament prepares to convene on Thursday to hold a vote on who will be the next prime minister, an outcome far from certain.
Prayuth led the 2014 power grab from the elected civilian government of Yingluck Shinawatra, describing it as an act of “duty” to stabilise a country defined by violent rival street protests, coups and short-lived civilian governments.
Prayuth later reinvented himself as a civilian premier under a constitution written by his allies.
Critics say that document has embedded the royalist military in power with a 250-member appointed Senate and allowed the government to plough public money into the armed forces while favouring big business in one of Asia’s least equal societies.
He remains hugely divisive and has even lost the support of political allies, as accusations of economic bungling mount from a public battered by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Detractors say he represents an out-of-touch royalist establishment which will not let democracy take root. Thailand has seen 13 coups since becoming a constitutional monarchy in 1932.
Additional reporting by SCMP’s Asia desk
