A Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) member has requested an injunction from the Administrative Court to suspend the royal decree dissolving the House of Representatives.
Ruangkrai Leekitwattana on Tuesday petitioned the Administrative Court seeking an emergency injunction to put the brakes on the royal decree issued on Monday.
Mr Ruangkrai alleged that although Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has the sole authority to seek the royal decree to disband the House, the reason cited for issuing the decree was unjustifiable.
The decree states that the House dissolution marks a transition to a general election to be held quickly.
He said the premier had proceeded with dissolution only days before the House’s four-year term expires on March 23.
Had Gen Prayut let the House term run its course, the election would have needed to be organised within 45 days, instead of between 45-60 days, as in the case of the House dissolution.
“So which fits the definition of ‘quickly’ more, within 45 days or between 45-60 days?” he said.
Mr Ruangkrai said he suspected Gen Prayut may have calculated the timing of the dissolution would cater to the best political interest of the United Thai Nation (UTN) Party, which stands to welcome more defectors from other parties.
Gen Prayut is a member of the UTN and could be its presumptive prime ministerial candidate.
The dissolution would allow a longer time for politicians to switch parties. He said in the event of the dissolution, the minimum period for holding membership of a party to qualify to contest under its ticket would be substantially reduced from at least 90 days, as required in the case of the expiry of the House term, to at least 30 days.
Mr Ruangkrai said Gen Prayut was hoping he could do his part to give the UTN the edge so that the party could win more than 25 MP seats, the minimum number required of a party to be eligible to nominate up to three prime ministerial candidates in the next poll.
He went on to say that Gen Prayut figured he still had a shot at making a comeback as premier after the next poll. Helping the UTN would also boost his chance of returning as prime minister.