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| A party official holds a registration document bearing the image of Thai Princess Ubolratana, who will run for PM (AFP Photo/Krit Phromsakla Na SAKOLNAKORN) |
Bangkok (AFP) - Thailand's powerful King Maha Vajiralongkorn late Friday described an unprecedented move to make his older sister Princess Ubolratana prime minister as "highly inappropriate" and against "royal traditions".
Ubolratana,
67, the older sister of Vajiralongkorn, was announced hours earlier as a
candidate in the upcoming elections for the Thai Raksa Chart party, which is
steered by the divisive Shinawatra political clan.
Her shock
entrance into frontline Thai politics was a first by a member of the powerful
royal family and promised to reshape the political landscape of the country.
But a
late-night statement from the palace left no doubt over the King's displeasure
at the move.
"The
king and royal family exist in a status above politics," said the
statement, published in the Royal Gazette and given blanket television
coverage.
The
statement did not criticise Ubolratana, instead praising her public work.
But it
appeared aimed at those behind her sudden stride into politics.
"To
bring a senior royal family member into the political system in any way is
against royal traditions and the nation's culture... which is highly
inappropriate."
While the
monarchy, which is vastly wealthy and protected from criticism by a harsh royal
defamation law, has been seen as above the political fray, royals have
intervened in moments of political crisis.
In a day of
high drama, junta chief Prayut Chan-O-Cha also declared his candidacy for
premier, running for the pro-military Phalang Pracharat party, moments after
the princess's announcement.
Election
authorities have a week to review which candidates put up by each party are
allowed to run for premier after the March 24 poll.
Political drama
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Graphic
looking at the two main candidates who will face
off against each other in
Thailand's upcoming general
election. (AFP Photo/John SAEKI)
|
Political drama
Ubolratana's
candidacy had electrified the build-up to the election, which has long seemed
poised to return the ruling junta and its proxies to power.
Her involvement
gave a royal sheen to the political machine of Thaksin Shinawatra, the
self-exiled billionaire whose parties have won every election since 2001.
The
princess, who gave up her royal titles to marry a foreigner, took to Instagram
earlier Friday to say she was allowed to run under the constitution as a
"commoner" had "allowed Thai Raksa Chart Party to use" her
name.
The party
falls under the tutelage of Thaksin, who stands at the heart of Thailand's
bitter political schism -- loathed by the army and Bangkok elite, yet adored by
the rural poor for health, welfare and education schemes.
The
announcement appeared set to thrust him back onto the centre stage of
Thailand's political drama.
He was
toppled in a 2006 coup, while his sister Yingluck was booted from power in a
2014 military takeover and forced into exile to avoid a jail term.
The King's
intervention has cast Thaksin's future role in politics into doubt.
Colourful
royal
Ubolratana,
a colourful, public-facing royal in contrast to her more restrained brother
King Maha Vajiralongkorn, relinquished her royal titles after marrying the
American Peter Jensen in 1972.
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Thai
Princess Ubolratana's decision to run for prime minister has shaken
up Thai
politics (AFP Photo/Martin BUREAU)
|
But the
couple divorced and she moved back to Thailand where she is still considered
part of the royal family.
In
Thailand, she experienced tragedy, losing her autistic son Poom to the 2004
Asian tsunami.
Known to
the public for lead roles in Thai films, onstage singing performances, a
vibrant fashion sense and a sizeable Instagram following, Ubolratana is the
first-born child of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
The stride
into politics by a royal left Thais scrambling to work out what it may mean for
the nation's tattered democracy.
"This
is quite unprecedented and nobody is prepared for this," Professor Anusorn
Unno of Thammasat University told AFP.
"I
don't think it's the victory for the people, I think this is part of the
adaptation of the ruling elite in terms of changing the landscape of
politics."
Since
ascending the throne in 2016, King Maha Vajiralongkorn has reorganised palace
affairs.
The vastly
wealthy Crown Property Bureau is now under his personal stewardship, he has
appointed several new privy counsellors and established a highly trained
personal guard.
Crucially
he has appointed a new army chief from a different faction of the military to
the ruling junta.
His
coronation will be held in May.
Related Article:
VIDEO: A Thai princess will stand as a candidate for prime minister in upcoming elections for a party run by the divisive Shinawatra political clan, a stunning twist that pits a royal directly against the chief of the ruling junta who had hoped to maintained his grip on politics pic.twitter.com/zfoNzZFIQi— AFP news agency (@AFP) February 8, 2019
Related Article:
#UPDATE A Thai political party will obey a command from the king blocking the candidacy of a princess for prime minister, in a dramatic reversal only a day after putting her forward for the position https://t.co/UsubsUmM2P pic.twitter.com/5M2eRyV0E9— AFP news agency (@AFP) February 9, 2019
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