British-born leader fights to become Thai PM
The British-born, Oxford-educated leader of Thai’s main opposition party is being put forward to become the country’s next prime minister.
The Democrat party has requested an emergency session of parliament in order to form a new government with Newcastle-born Abhisit Vejjajiva, 44, as its head.
According to the Democrats, including previous allies of the now defunct People Power party (PPP) the party claim has enough MPs to claim a majority in the 480-seat house.
The PPP, renamed Puea Thai party after Thailand’s constitutional court ordered the ruling party disbanded and for prime minister Somchai Wongsawat to stand down over vote-rigging, has also called an extraordinary session but its chances of forging a government appear slim.
The situation is complicated further by Thailand’s king Bhumibol Adulyadej – the only person who can call such a session of parliament – being laid low by an illness that saw him miss his traditional birthday speech last week for the first time in 60 years.
Thai politics is in turmoil after a long and sometimes violent campaign by the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) saw two prime ministers linked to former premier Thaksin Shinawatra forced to stand down.
A PAD blockade of Bangkok’s two main airports in the last month resulted in chaos for tourists.
