Pita Limjaroenrat, the Move Forward Party’s (MFP) leader, has resigned in order to pave room for his replacement to assume the position of opposition leader.
On Friday, Mr. Pita, a member of the TIME100 Next list of emerging leaders to watch, sent a message on his Facebook page announcing his resignation. He addressed it to all MFP members as well as the general public.
While the MFP had the most MPs among the opposition coalition, Mr. Pita claimed in his statement that he was unable to assume the position of opposition leader because the Constitutional Court had suspended him from acting in his capacity as an MP.
“According to the current constitution, the opposition leader must be a member of parliament (MP) and the leader of the major opposition party, but I am still unable to carry out my responsibilities in the House of Representatives and won’t be able to take the position of opposition leader anytime soon.
“After consultation with the executive committee and party MPs, we have come to the conclusion that the role of “opposition leader” in the legislative system is of the utmost importance, and that the biggest opposition party in the House of Representatives should fill the position.
In other words, the MFP ought to be in charge of the opposition because it is their responsibility to hold the government responsible, keep an eye on its actions, and call for new policies that are not already in place.
I’ve made the decision to relinquish my leadership of the MFP so that the party can choose an MP who can serve as the “opposition leader” in my place.
Move Forward and other parties are exonerated in court of supporting secession.
The Harvard Kennedy School of Government alumnus, 43, declared that while resigning, he would continue to do everything in his power to serve the MFP and the general public.
On September 24, he requested that all MFP members meet at the Keelawes Building 1 in Bangkok’s Din Daeng district to pick a new party head.
Chaithawat Tulathon, the party secretary-general, has been predicted as Mr. Pita’s potential successor by observers.
