BANGKOK: Thailand entered a phase of political uncertainty on Thursday (Aug 25), with its prime minister suspended and his deputy taking over in his stead pending a ruling from a top court on whether the premier has reached his constitutional term limit.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha came to power in a military coup in 2014, and would have hit the 8-year term limit earlier this week if the clock started when he seized power.
The Constitutional Court suspended Prayut, the army's commander at the time of the coup, on Wednesday as it considers arguments in his case.
His supporters argue that his term as prime minister should be calculated from when he won the job legally after a general election in 2019, or, if nothing else, from when the term-limit provision became part of the current constitution in 2017.
Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan has assumed the role of acting prime minister, taking over Prayut’s duties.
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