All eyes across Thailand will be on the Constitutional Court on Friday (September 30), when it is scheduled to rule on whether General Prayut Chan-o-cha has completed eight years as prime minister.

 

Speculation and conspiracy theories have been rife for the past month, from the time the court accepted the opposition’s petition on August 24 and suspended Prayut from performing his duties as PM, pending its ruling.

 

The opposition petition asked the court for a ruling on whether Prayut had reached the eight-year term limit fixed by the Constitution for prime minister, arguing that he had begun serving in the position on August 24, 2014, following the military coup that he had led three months earlier.

 

What the Constitution says

 

Unlike all the previous editions, the current Thai charter clearly stipulates the maximum time an individual can serve as PM.

 

Article 158 states: “The prime minister shall not hold office for more than eight years in total, whether or not consecutively. However, this shall not include the period during which the prime minister carries out duties after vacating the office.”

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/will-prayut-return-as-pm-ball-in-constitutional-court/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2022-09-29

 

- Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

 

Monthly car subscription with first-class insurance, 24x7 assistance and more in one price - click here to find out more!

Will he regain the face or is it lost forever?

If he was acting as caretaker PM when he ousted the then government, he wouldn't officially be PM, e.g. sworn in as PM, so he would be in the position as acting/care taker PM, which is not really his position, suffice to say, I believe he will get a few more months out of it, i.e. when he was officially sworn in as PM and received the salary of such a position. 

 

Roll your dices people, could go either way, but my money is on him returning for the short term to finish his 8 year term as the officially sworn in PM.

8 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

If he was acting as caretaker PM when he ousted the then government, he wouldn't officially be PM, e.g. sworn in as PM, so he would be in the position as acting/care taker PM, which is not really his position, suffice to say, I believe he will get a few more months out of it, i.e. when he was officially sworn in as PM and received the salary of such a position. 

 

Roll your dices people, could go either way, but my money is on him returning for the short term to finish his 8 year term as the officially sworn in PM.

The Thai King officially appointed Prayut as PM of Thailand in August 2014. He was the only candidate put forward and told reporters after the ceremony that he was ready for the position of Prime Minister and would work to restore democracy.

His 8 years are definitely up. He only stays on if some loophole can be found by his friends at court.

It is up to the people controlling the country, not the court.  The decision has already been made long ago.

The only thing i can say with 100% certainty is.. the decision of the CC will have zero to do with what the law actually says...

Of course he'll be reinstated. There was plenty of time for thick brown envelopes to make their way to the judges.  See how many of them will be driving new lambo's soon.

1 hour ago, 4MyEgo said:

If he was acting as caretaker PM when he ousted the then government, he wouldn't officially be PM, e.g. sworn in as PM, so he would be in the position as acting/care taker PM, which is not really his position, suffice to say, I believe he will get a few more months out of it, i.e. when he was officially sworn in as PM and received the salary of such a position. 

 

Roll your dices people, could go either way, but my money is on him returning for the short term to finish his 8 year term as the officially sworn in PM.

Someone will find a way to interpret the law so that he finishes 8 years currently, so that he doesn't lose face. 

Will Prayut return as PM?

 

 

Yes.

 

The 5-4 vote was "whipped" to cut off (and postpone) public debate.

 

But the court will rule in his favor, like 7-2 or 8-1, based on Meechai's say so.

 

 

Who are the alternatives?  Anyone with a modicum of promise is has already been arrested on trumped up charges.

Oh, the excitement and tension before the pre-determined decision to extend his reign! Just tantalizing!

What a boring dystopia.

Is it so difficult, from when was beginning his salary for a first minister, 2014, 2017, 2019??

 

I can't recall any CC decision going against Prayut, so in my mind he's a shoo-in to return as PM.

Its all balls in this particular court ????

Prawit might be enjoying his his position of power so much that he may have thrown a few watches the way of the judges.

Looks like he may have a toad stuck in his throat ????

 

Does it matter. Comparing Prayuth to Prawit, is like comparing Cardi B to Justin Bieber. P & P are both equally annoying, incapable and destructive. What Thailand needs is new blood, younger leaders, and people with vision who actually care about the nation and it's people. Imagine such a thing?

I keep seeing Big Thick Brown Envelopes 

Who elects a President, the population or the generals?
 

 

Do we really care if he is back as Prime Minister won't change my life here in Thailand who ever is in Charge 

But its for the Thai people to  decide will see if the courts make the right decision tomorrow 

Like Arnie said ,,,,, I be Back,,,,

1 hour ago, Tarteso said:

Who elects a President, the population or the generals?
 

 

In Thailand it's a newly elected Parliament that elects the PM and includes the vote by the Senate. Thailand does not have a President as Head of Government nor as Head of State.

Ministers of Parliament are elected and currently Ministers of the Senate were installed indirectly by the military coup leadership.

12 minutes ago, Srikcir said:

In Thailand it's a newly elected Parliament that elects the PM and includes the vote by the Senate. Thailand does not have a President as Head of Government nor as Head of State.

Ministers of Parliament are elected and currently Ministers of the Senate were installed indirectly by the military coup leadership.

did you mean that the process it's more like a circus??? lots of monkeys jumping from one seat to the next

6 hours ago, 4MyEgo said:

If he was acting as caretaker PM when he ousted the then government, he wouldn't officially be PM, e.g. sworn in as PM, so he would be in the position as acting/care taker PM, which is not really his position, suffice to say, I believe he will get a few more months out of it, i.e. when he was officially sworn in as PM and received the salary of such a position. 

 

Roll your dices people, could go either way, but my money is on him returning for the short term to finish his 8 year term as the officially sworn in PM.

So....technically, he was never sworn in officially - but appointed as an illegal coup interim. That would include the highly bogus and manipulated election of last. Items of fact that we all know or should know. 

 

Apparently, all this matters not to the officialdom, elite authorities and the never challenging/questioning media. 

 

My bet would be on the highly partisan Constitutional Court to come to the conclusion that he has been a caretaker of sorts all these years, and by default granted another eight years by judicial appointment - naturally blessed by the king......which makes it all too real. 

 

And everything remains dandy [as they want it] throughout the kingdom. 

Don't be looking behind the curtain, as there's nothing to see - 

 

Same as it ever was.

15 minutes ago, Srikcir said:

In Thailand it's a newly elected Parliament that elects the PM and includes the vote by the Senate. Thailand does not have a President as Head of Government nor as Head of State.

Ministers of Parliament are elected and currently Ministers of the Senate were installed indirectly by the military coup leadership.

Which seems to be the way it's been for decades upon decades - tradition. 

Remember why the Thai military exist. 

Constitutional Monarchy.

Emphasis on Monarchy and associated Ammat. 

5 minutes ago, zzaa09 said:

So....technically, he was never sworn in officially - but appointed as an illegal coup interim. That would include the highly bogus and manipulated election of last. Items of fact that we all know or should know. 

 

Apparently, all this matters not to the officialdom, elite authorities and the never challenging/questioning media. 

 

My bet would be on the highly partisan Constitutional Court to come to the conclusion that he has been a caretaker of sorts all these years, and by default granted another eight years by judicial appointment - naturally blessed by the king......which makes it all too real. 

 

And everything remains dandy [as they want it] throughout the kingdom. 

Don't be looking behind the curtain, as there's nothing to see - 

 

Same as it ever was.

resuming and concluding, Thailand back to stone age, one step forward and 5 backwards

7 hours ago, webfact said:

All eyes across Thailand will be on the Constitutional Court on Friday

Being far away my fundamental orifice only wiill pointing in thhat direction.

7 hours ago, webfact said:

Article 158 states: “The prime minister shall not hold office for more than eight years in total...

Why? Same as the US system. I have little doubt that Obama would have got a third term if people in the self-proclaimed world's greatest democracy were allowed to vote for him, but they were denied that right and they and the world got Trump instead. Think about it - the only person American citizens couldn't choose as President was the President.

 

It should, it must, be that the only ones who decide who can stand for election are the people, not the courts. Is there any other job where people are removed after working it for eight years?

 

Of course, there are millions who believe that Trump was a better representative for America than Obama, but then some believe the moon landing was fake and the Mars landing took place in Arizona.

Don't take this as an endorsement for Prayut.

 

7 minutes ago, Mavideol said:

resuming and concluding, Thailand back to stone age, one step forward and 5 backwards

Perhaps. It matters not except that they retain the hold on everything. Rhetorical means to an end. 

.....and all the surface punditry and critical commentary will continue on from those usual circles chasing themselves around and around. 

Yet, the grand tree is still rooted.