Protests in Thailand as rivals derail Pita’s PM bid

The bitter battle to name Thailand’s next prime minister took a major turn as parliament voted to deny Pita Limjaroenrat, whose progressive Move Forward Party won a surprise victory in May’s election, a second chance to be confirmed for the post. “What’s the point of having elections when you’re going to throw democracy down the toilet?” ‘Thailand has changed Thai politics experts said Pita’s fall was virtually preordained by the 2017 Constitution, enacted under military rule and designed to undermine challenges to the established royalist order with measures such as giving the non-elected senators a role in confirming prime ministers. “I think Thailand has changed, and will never be the same, since May 14,” said Pita, referring to his party’s election victory. The planned prime ministerial vote was expected to be Pita’s last, after he announced that he would step aside if he failed and let political heavyweight Pheu Thai field its candidate in a third round.