Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on Tuesday announced his decision to leave politics after nine years in power as he resigned as a member of the United Thai Nation Party (UTN).
His resignation was announced on the UTN’s official Facebook page along with a statement signed by the caretaker prime minister, who served also as the chief strategist of the UTN prior to this formal resignation.
The resignation was announced only two days before the parliamentary vote set for tomorrow to select Thailand’s next prime minister.
Gen Prayut led the May 22, 2014, military coup that toppled the Yingluck Shinawatra administration following political unrest sparked by growing protests against the government’s push to pass a blanket amnesty bill.
Gen Prayut was afterwards appointed leader of a militaryinstalled government. He returned as prime minister again after the 2019 general election.
In his statement, intended mainly for the UTN’s executives, party members and all supporters of the party, Gen Prayut expressed his gratitude for support from all of them in building the UTN and casting their votes for the newly established party.
The party won 23 House seats and 4.76 million votes in the May 14 election, accounting for 12.52% of the 38.05 million turnout and earned the UTN 13 list-MPs, which brought the total House seats the party obtained to 36, said Gen Prayut.
He said he decided to join the UTN because he wanted to build a new party with a strong political ideology and love and loyalty for the country’s core pillars — the nation, religions and monarchy.
He described his time as prime minister as “a memorable experience”.
“Over the past nine years, I, as prime minister, have dedicated my time and energy to the duty of protecting the nation, religions and monarchy while working in the best interests of my beloved people,” wrote Gen Prayut in the same statement.
He also outlined the work achievements of his administration, which included maintaining national peace as a means of ensuring the country’s political, social and economic stability.
UTN leader Pirapan Salirathavibhaga, meanwhile, said Gen Prayut decided to resign as a member of the UTN because he wants to end speculation that the UTN was secretly negotiating a deal to form a new coalition and make him return as prime minister again.