【Text/Observer Network Guo Han】
In the past 24 hours, the thai princess's candidacy for prime minister has taken a dramatic turn.
Following the Pro-Nationalist Party's announcement yesterday of Princess Ubon Ratchathani as a candidate for prime minister, King Vajiralongkorn of Thailand responded late at night, calling the move "extremely inappropriate" and stressing that the constitution stipulates that all members of the royal family are "above politics".
On Saturday, the Palips issued a statement accepting the king's holy will, canceling the campaign scheduled for Bangkok and promising to abide by the Election Commission, the Constitution and royal traditions. This means that the party has effectively abandoned the decision to nominate Princess Ubon Ratchathani to run.
Ubon Ratchathani himself did not respond directly on Saturday, only expressing his gratitude to supporters on social media.
On February 8, Thai Princess Ubon Ratchathani announced that she will participate in this election Image source: Visual China
The princess broke with tradition and participated in politics for the first time
The Observer Network previously reported that Thailand will hold its first general election since the junta came to power on March 24 this year. The pro-ThaksinIst Patriotic Party rushed to submit the list of candidates to the Election Commission yesterday (the last day of candidate registration) – Princess Ubon Ratchathani.
Princess Ubon Ratchathani, 67, is the sister of Thailand's King Vajiralongkorn. In the 1970s and 1980s, she married an American and applied to renounce her royal status. After their divorce in 1998, Ubon Ratchathani returned to China to regain her royal status and has long been an ambassador for Thailand's tourism industry, starring in two films in recent years.
The Place where Miracles Happened (left) and my best bodyguard movie poster from IMDB
Ubon Ratchathani himself said on social networking sites on February 8 that he had renounced his royal status, this time exercising his rights as a Thai citizen. She said she would run on behalf of the National Patriotic Party, hoping to lead Thailand to modernization, boost the economy with new technologies, and improve people's living standards.
This is the first time in the 86 years since the establishment of a constitutional monarchy in Thailand that a major member of the royal family has participated in the general election, breaking the royal family's long tradition of distancing itself from politics.
The king responded late at night: "Extremely inappropriate"
Late on the night of the 8th, King Vajiralongkorn of Thailand issued a holy decree through state television, saying that the candidacy of his sister Princess Ubon Ratchathani was "inappropriate" and unconstitutional.
Thailand's King Vajiralongkorn issued a decree late at night, criticizing Princess Ubon Ratchathani for being "extremely inappropriate" Screenshot: Time Magazine
The Holy Decree states: "The royal family is the supreme spiritual sustenance of the thai people, and the status of the king and all the high-ranking royal family members is above politics, and has always performed official duties for the country and the people." ”
Commenting on Princess Ubon Ratchathani's decision, the King stated: "Although she (Princess Ubon Ratchathani) relinquished her title under royal law ... But she still retained her identity and status as a member of the Zakri dynasty. Allowing senior members of the royal family to participate in politics in any way is contrary to ancient royal etiquette, national customs and culture, and is extremely inappropriate. ”
The Thai People's Reform Party, which supports the current Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, said on the 8th that the nomination of Princess Ubon Ratchathani may violate the election law. The law states that political parties are not allowed to involve the crown in their election campaigns. On the 9th, the leader of the party, Payboun
Proclamation: Acceptance of the Holy Will
On Saturday morning, the Patriotic Party issued a statement to reporters saying it accepted the Holy Will's claim that the princess's candidacy was "extremely inappropriate." The party said it had canceled its campaign scheduled for Bangkok's Chinatown that evening and was evaluating future options.
The statement stressed that it would abide by the provisions of the Election Commission, the Electoral Law and the Constitution on royal traditions and expressed its gratitude to the Princess. Both Agence France-Presse and Thailand's Newspaper Ethnologue argue that this means that the Pakatan d'état has effectively abandoned its decision to nominate a princess for prime minister.
Princess Ubon Ratchathani also posted on social media Instagram that morning to express her "heartfelt thanks" to her supporters. She said she hoped thailand would continue to move forward and be accepted and admired by the international community, but did not mention whether it would continue to run.
Ubon Ratchathani thanks its supporters on social media Source: Instagram
Paul Chambers, a professor of international relations at Narisuan University in Thailand, said it would be "unacceptable" for anyone to try to challenge members of the royal family in an election in Thailand's political culture.
Thailand's penal code provides for defamation, insult and threats against the king and members of the royal family to 3 to 15 years' imprisonment. Chambers said, "I doubt there will be any candidate who would dare to challenge her." ”
Princess Ubon Ratchathani's main opponent is the current Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, who issued an open letter announcing his candidacy on the 8th. Prayut stressed that when he came to power, Thailand was socially turbulent and deeply divided, and that there has been progress in all aspects since the current government came to power.
Thailand's current Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha also announced his candidacy for re-election on the 8th Source: Visual China
Whether the princess can continue to run depends on the decision of the Election Committee. Thai electoral law stipulates that the list of candidates cannot be withdrawn once submitted. At present, the Election Commission has not responded to this matter, only saying that it will meet next Monday to discuss it, and will publish the list of candidates for prime minister of each party after review on Friday (15th).
Since the overthrow of Thaksin's government by the Thai military in 2006, Thailand has been mired in political confrontation, with grassroots forces represented by the Pheu Thai Party and pro-Thaksin and elite forces represented by the Democratic Party and opposed to Thaksin repeatedly resorting to street politics, causing social unrest.
In 2014, the Thai military overthrew the Pheu Thai government led by Thaksin's sister Yingluck, and former army commander Prayut Chan-o-cha led the establishment of the National Commission for Peace and Order, which served as prime minister and has been in power ever since.
On March 24, Thailand will have its first general election in five years. Under the current electoral system, Thai voters will elect 500 members of the Lower House in a new round of general elections, and the elected Members of the Lower House will vote jointly with the 250 Members of the Upper House appointed by the National Commission for Peace and Order to elect a new Prime Minister.
This article is an exclusive manuscript of the Observer Network and may not be reproduced without authorization.