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Prayut’s popularity has been falling over accusations he botched Thailand’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and mishandled the economy, but his coalition government survived four no-confidence votes.
Prayut has argued against his detractors that his government has successfully steered the economy through the pandemic, allowing it to now reopen and start generating the tourist revenue upon which it relies heavily.
If he is allowed to remain in power by the court, it risks invigorating a protest movement that has long sought to oust him and reopening deep fissures in Thailand.
After the court’s ruling on Wednesday, opposition politicians called for Prayut to resign and make way for new elections.
Pita Limjaroenrat, leader of the opposition Move Forward party, said the leadership swap with Prawit filling in meant Thailand was still going nowhere politically, likening it to “sailing a boat in a tub”.
While there were multiple protests by tens of thousands in 2020 demanding Prayut and his Cabinet resign, the court decision on Wednesday attracted only a handful of demonstrators in Bangkok.
Thitinan said it was likely dissent will grow as the court ruminates over its decision.
“The grievances that have underpinned the protests have not gone away,” he said. “They’ve only been swept under the carpet, the grievances have been accumulating – there’s a lot of unhappiness in Thailand under Prayut’s watch.”
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