Politics is heating up as the Constitutional Court is expected to decide on Wednesday whether to hear a petition filed by the opposition asking it to rule on exactly when Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha's eight-year tenure will conclude.
In the event the court's nine-member judge panel decides to accept the case it will also have to decide if Gen Prayut has to be suspended from his duty while pending a ruling.
The opposition and anti-government movements have begun stepping up pressure for the PM to step down. Submitted by the opposition to parliament president Chuan Leekpai last week, the petition will be forwarded to the court today, said Sukit Atthopakorn, an adviser to Mr Chuan.
A source joined by opposition Pheu Thai Party leader Dr Cholnan Srikaew, meanwhile, said they expected the court to decide on Wednesday whether to accept the petition. The Election Commission (EC) is also expected today to discuss a proposal for the agency to also petition the court to rule on the PM's tenure matter.
The Ombudsman previously rejected a petition lodged by activist Srisuwan Janya for the court to rule on Gen Prayut's eight-year term, saying the activist didn't have the authority under Section 170 of the constitution to seek the court's interpretation on the matter, but the EC does.
Section 158 of the constitution limits the term of a prime minister to eight years, but disagreement abounds as to when Gen Prayut's term officially began.
Some believe it should be this month because the count started in 2014 when he first assumed the role of prime minister after the coup that year. Another group claims his term should end in 2027 because he was appointed prime minister under the 2017 charter in June 2019. As a result, his eight-year limit would end in 2027.
Dr Cholnan on Sunday urged Gen Prayut to resign by tomorrow as he believes Gen Prayut's term exactly ends on Wednesday, saying the PM's resignation will help ease political tensions.
"If Gen Prayut intends to stay on in power, his monopoly of state power will spark a new crisis as has happened in the past," he said. In the event the court rules for Gen Prayut to be suspended, Pheu Thai will have to discuss who it will field in the House selection of a new prime minister, he said.
Also on Sunday, the Ratsadon group along with 38 other organisations demanded Gen Prayut step down. Panusaya "Rung" Sithijirawattanakul, a core leader of the anti-government group, said Gen Prayut should never think about opting to dissolve parliament as a tactic to force old election laws to be used in the next general election.
The old election laws will provide advantages to coalition parties over their rivals, they said. "After Aug 24, whether Gen Prayut steps down and no matter how the court decision turns, Gen Prayut will no longer be recognised as prime minister," they said.
Another protest group, led by political activist Jatuporn Prompan, gathered at Lan Khon Muang in front of City Hall in Phra Nakhon district, but had to battle rain last evening. Mr Jatuporn said they would not give up and asked protesters to press on until Aug 23.
The Prime Minister Operations Centre (PMOC) said Gen Prayut has refrained from responding to questions regarding his term limit because the PM wants to leave it to the court to decide. He would accept its decision.
"All other parties are also encouraged to do the same to prevent any new political unrest," said the PMOC.
The prime minister is a soldier and a man of his word, said former government spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana.