Thai PM Prayuth says he will stay as Defense Minister despite his suspension

In his first direct address to the public since a court ordered him to cease his duties as prime minister while it reviews his term limit, Prayuth Chan-ocha, the suspended leader of Thailand, said on social media that he will continue in his role as defense minister. This was his first direct address to the public since the court ordered him to step down from his position as prime minister.

“I will continue to do my duty and responsibility as defense minister for the people and Thailand every day,” Prayuth said on the Twitter account of the prime minister’s office on Thursday, August 25. “I will continue to do my duty and responsibility as defense minister for the people and Thailand every day.”

On Wednesday, the Constitutional Court made the decision to hear a petition brought by the main opposition party, which argued that the years Prayuth spent as the chief of a military junta after he took power in a coup in 2014 should count toward his overall time in office. The petition was brought before the court on Wednesday. The prime minister can only serve for a total of eight years at a time, as specified by the constitution.

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It is currently unknown when the court will make a ruling about the review that was requested.

Acting Prime Minister of the country with the second-largest economy in Southeast Asia is Prawit Wongsuwan, who is also the Deputy Prime Minister. On Friday, August 26, his first day in the office of the prime minister, he chose not to answer the questions that were posed to him by the media.

There has been intermittent political unrest in Thailand for nearly twenty years, including two coups and violent protests. This unrest is a result of opposition to the involvement of the military in politics and demands for greater representation as political awareness increases. The controversy over the term limit for Prayuth is the most recent episode in this conflict.

On Friday, a representative for the government named Anucha Burapachaisri stated that the cabinet is carrying on with its business as usual.