Thailand’s Constitutional Court has temporarily suspended Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha from office after accepting a petition from opposition parties who believe he has exceeded the eight-year limit set by law.

Prayut Chan-o-cha must leave office immediately until the court makes a final decision on the lawsuit filed by the opposition parties, which consider that he has already exceeded the eight-year limit established by the Thai Constitution for the office of prime minister.

The opposition consider that Prayut began his mandate in May 2014, when he assumed power through a coup d’état, while his defenders consider that his arrival in office began in 2019, when he was elected prime minister after a questioned election.

The Constitutional Court of Thailand temporarily suspends Prayut Chan-o-cha's premiership due to a case filed by Pheu Thai Party lawmakers over whether the eight-year term limit for premiership should also include Prayut's time as the leader of National … https://t.co/YHyfUGfhl2

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Another argument that the judges of the Constitutional Court will have to take into account is whether the eight-year limit imposed by the Constitution is retroactive or applies from 2017, when the text was approved during the government of the military coup junta.

Thailand’s deputy prime minister, General Prawit Wongsuwan, will act as acting prime minister. Despite the ruling, Prayut will continue to perform his duties as defense minister as normal, as this position has no term limits.

-Thailand News (TN)