Move Forward party leader Pita Limjaroenrat has failed in his bid to become the next prime minister of Thailand despite the party's sweeping lower house parliament majority.
The appointment of the country's prime minister needed the vote of both houses of the Thai parliament, which meant the involvement of the 249-seat senate, all of which were appointed by the previous military-backed government of outgoing prime minister Prayuth Chan-ocha.
However, he was unfazed and vowed not to back down.
"I am not giving up," he said after accepting the result of the first round of voting.
Pita Warns of a "High Price to Pay" in Choosing a PM
Ahead of the parliamentary vote, Pita said he was confident he would convince the senators to vote for him. He added there were attempts to "block the majority government of the people from getting to run the country in various ways.
"This is quite normal for the path to power in our country..." he told local media ThaiRath TV. "I am encouraged and hopeful to fix things as they come until the dream of mine and the people can be reached."
Pita also warned there would be "a high price to pay in terms of principle and political standards" if his candidacy was blocked by parliament.
"This is about the voice of the people who cast their votes," he added.
With Pita's failed bid, Move Forward's coalition partner, Pheu Thai, could put forward a candidate for a second or third ballot. The Pheu Thai party was associated with exiled prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his family.
More Legal Hurdles
The 42-year-old Harvard graduate and former tech executive also faces last-minute legal challenges which would disqualify him from being a member of parliament (MP) by allegedly breaking election rules.
Aside from parliamentary numbers stacked against him, Pita also needed to face another blow to his ambitions Wednesday (July 12) when Thailand's notoriously conservative Constitutional Court accepted a recommendation from the Election Commission that he be disqualified as an MP.
The court said it is assessing two complaints against Pita. The first is about him being a shareholder and a media company although it has not functioned for over 15 years now. The other complaint said Move Forward's proposal to amend the draconian royal defamation lese majeste laws, which punishes individuals for defaming the Thai royal family, was an attempt to overthrow the country's entire political order.
It remains unclear when the Constitutional Court would deliberate on the case, but technically, Pita could still become prime minister under Thai law even if he was not an MP.
The choice of the next prime minister was deliberated after Prayuth announced his retirement from politics once a government was formed.
Related Article: Thai PM Prayuth Chan-ocha Stands Down, Plans to Retire from Politics
