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Thai Parliament to Meet Again in August to Choose PM

by Reuters

   Bangkok. Thailand --

   Thailand's parliament said Thursday it is scheduled to meet again on
   August 4 to try to pick a prime minister, as a political stalemate
   drags on following a national election in May.

   Two previous attempts by the election-winning Move Forward Party to
   have its leader, Pita Limjaroenrat, endorsed as premier have been
   blocked by conservative and military-nominated lawmakers.

   The Pheu Thai Party, which placed second in May and is part of an
   eight-party alliance with Move Forward, is expected to make the next
   bid for the office.

   Voters in Southeast Asia's second largest economy propelled Move
   Forward to a surprise election victory over military-backed rivals who
   have dominated its politics for most of the last decade.

   But the military-nominated Senate and opponents from the conservative,
   royalist establishment have pushed back against Pita, stalling his
   attempts to become prime minister.

   A parliamentary document outlining its agenda for August 4 said the
   house would "consider and endorse a suitable individual to become prime
   minister."

   However, the vote could be delayed because of a pending court review of
   a previous decision, House Speaker Wan Muhamad Noor Matha told
   reporters in parliament before the agenda was released.

   Thailand's Constitutional Court is due to review a petition next
   Thursday over a decision earlier this month to block Pita's candidacy
   for the top job.

   If the court accepts the petition, the following day's parliamentary
   vote would be postponed, Wan Noor said.