Constitutional Court Rejects Petition Challenging Ban On Pita's Renomination For PM Vote

Thailand's Constitutional Court unanimously rejected a petition to rule on whether parliament could have prevented Move Forward Party (MFP) leader Pita Limjaroenrat from being renominated as a candidate for Prime Minister.

• The Court dismissed the petition because the plaintiff (the Office of the Ombudsman) was not the person affected by parliament's resolution. The Court also refused to delay the second round of the PM vote, keeping the door open for the Speaker to set a new date.
• The decision is a setback for the MFP, who said they were hoping to revive Pita's candidacy, after it was rejected in the first round of voting. On the other hand, it removes a hurdle for calling the second round of voting, raising the prospect of a quicker formation of the new government.
• A resolution of the current political deadlock would bring reprieve to Thai markets, even if election front-runners MFP find themselves outside of the governing coalition. The Court's decision inspired a recovery in the baht, which reversed earlier losses.