Pheu Thai backtracks on bid to boot Anutin from office
Legal manoeuvre paused as petition pulled before court review
In a dramatic U-turn, the Pheu Thai Party has withdrawn its petition to disqualify Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and People’s Party leader Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut over alleged constitutional breaches.
House Speaker Wan Muhamad Noor Matha confirmed the reversal, stating that the petition had not yet been submitted to the Constitutional Court, allowing for its legal withdrawal.
The request was initially submitted to the Secretariat of the House of Representatives last Friday, September 5. It urged the court to examine Anutin and Natthaphong’s eligibility as Members of Parliament under constitutional articles 101 and 185.
The original complaint accused the Bhumjaithai Party of violating the Constitution by striking a deal with the People’s Party to back Anutin’s prime ministerial bid, allegedly contradicting constitutional principles.
However, Pheu Thai MP Wisut Chainarun, who spearheaded the effort, has since backtracked.
“The party plans to revise the content of the petition and amend the list of signatories.”
A new submission timeline has not yet been confirmed.
The move has drawn fire from political commentators, including Chao Meekhuad, a former deputy spokesperson for the Democrat Party, who took to Facebook to slam Pheu Thai for what he described as political hypocrisy.
“Pheu Thai had no issue accepting every condition laid out by the People’s Party in exchange for support for their own candidate, Chaikasem Nitisiri.
“It was only after the People’s Party sided with Bhumjaithai, handing Anutin 143 votes, that they decided to run to the court.”
According to Bangkok Post, Chao argued that such manoeuvring undermines the moral integrity required of petitioners:
“One must approach the court with clean hands.”
The withdrawal has sparked debate about whether Pheu Thai’s next move will be legal repositioning or a political climbdown.
Meanwhile, Anutin has pledged to urgently tackle Thailand’s economic challenges and ease tensions along the Cambodian border. Emphasising a peaceful approach, the newly appointed Thai PM underscored the importance of protecting national sovereignty while steering the country through its current crises.
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