Thai Parliament to Meet Again in August to Choose PM

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.