Political Risk Grips Thailand as King Rejects Sister's Poll Bid
(Bloomberg) -- Thai King Maha Vajiralongkorn said it’s inappropriate for his sister to stand as a prime minister candidate in an election next month, signaling an unprecedented public rift among senior royals that risks exacerbating political tensions in Southeast Asia’s second-largest economy.
Princess Ubolratana Rajakanya’s candidacy is against royal tradition and the constitution, according to a Royal Gazette statement issued late on Friday. Earlier in the day, Thai Raksa Chart -- a political party linked to former premier Thaksin Shinawatra -- nominated her to stand as prime minister, upending traditions in a nation where top royals are officially treated with semi-divine status.
“Bringing high-ranking members of the royal family into politics -- in any manner -- is against the royal traditions and is gravely inappropriate,” the king said. “The Thai monarchy is the center that glues the hearts of the Thai people together. The monarch and the royal family members are above politics.”
A spokesperson for Thai Raksa Chart said that the party wouldn’t be able to comment immediately.
The king’s rebuke marks a setback for Thaksin, whose allies have won every Thai election since 2001 only to get booted out of power by the courts or the military. Aligning with a top royal could’ve potentially cleared the way for his return to Thailand, where he faces jail time for a conviction in a corruption case he has called politically motivated.
The development may also benefit current Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-Ocha, a former army chief who staged a 2014 coup against Thaksin’s sister and now wants to stay on as the country’s leader after the election. Earlier on Friday, a party supporting Prayuth filed a petition opposing Ubolratana’s candidacy, arguing it could breach a law that prohibits the use of the monarchy in campaigning.
“This could actually be a boost for Prayuth because now people may see that the king is not supporting his sister,” said Paul Chambers, a lecturer at Naresuan University’s College of ASEAN Community Studies. “This gives Prayuth an edge because he’ll likely be a better candidate in the view of the people.”
Ubolratana’s nomination took investors by surprise on Friday. Thailand’s currency weakened 0.8 percent against the dollar, while the country’s stock market was little changed.
The princess, a movie star who has an Instagram page with about 100,000 followers, showed appreciation to her fans in a post earlier on Friday.
“Thank you for all the love and support from the Thai people,” Ubolratana said after her nomination. “I’d like to have the opportunity to bring glory to the country.”
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