Thai Princess Ubolratana is disqualified from running for prime minister in March election. (Photo: AFP/VNA) Bangkok (VNA) – Thailand’s Election Commission (EC) recommended the Thai Raksa Chart party be dissolved for having named Princess Ubolratana Mahidol as candidate for prime minister in March election.
The EC said in a statement that Thai Raksa Chart violated the electoral law for its nomination of Princess Ubolratana last week, which is “antagonistic toward the constitutional monarchy”.
Earlier on February 11, the election panel disqualified the princess from running for prime minister by echoing King Maha Vajiralongkorn’s words that royalty should be above politics.
Thai Raksa Chart stunned the country on February 8 after Princess Ubolratana’s nomination as it broke the tradition in which the monarch should be politically neutral.
Thailand’s election law bans all parties from taking advantage of the royalty in their election campaigns. Thus, the EC is considering prohibiting Thai Raksa Chart, which has a close link with former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, from joining the election.
The election on March 24 will be the first in this Southeast Asian country following the military coup in 2014. Palang Pracharat party, Phey Thai party and Thai democrat party will join the election.-VNA
VNA
