Election

Thai reformist Pita Limjaroenrat loses PM vote

Thailand's parliament on Thursday rejected election winner Pita Limjaroenrat's bid to become prime minister. After hours of discussions but a surprisingly swift voting process, Pita failed to secure the 375 parliamentary votes needed to become Thailand's 30th premier, despite his reformist party winning the popular vote in the general election. The political challenger rode a wave of support in May that saw voters emphatically reject almost a decade of army-backed rule under Prayut Chan-o-cha, who took power in a 2014 coup. But the outcome had become increasingly inevitable, with signs conservative MPs of the lower house and junta-appointed senators would not give him their support. Ahead of the parliamentary vote, nearby highway overpasses had razor-wire placed on them, while the parliament compound was ringed by containers designed to deter demonstrators, a sign of the tensions around the event. Only three years ago. . . Subscribe for full access to Get unlimited access to high-quality reporting from the frontlines and support independent journalism. Subscribe Now Already a subscriber? Log in