Photo Essays | Politics | Southeast Asia
Hundreds of the party’s supporters voiced their excitement, and disappointment, as Parliament voted against the MFP leader and prime ministerial candidate Pita Limjaroenrat.
Demonstrators wait in anticipation as parliamentary voting began for Thailand’s 30th prime minister in Bangkok, Thailand, July 13, 2023.
Credit: Cory Wright
On July 13, 2023, roads to the parliament buildings were blocked by razor wire and shipping containers in anticipation of large crowds ahead of the vote for Thailand’s 30th prime minister.
Credit: Cory Wright
Street vendors sold orange shirts emblazoned with Move Forward’s logo outside of Parliament as members convened to vote for the country’s next prime minister in Bangkok, Thailand on July 13, 2023.
Credit: Cory Wright
As the votes were called out supporters reacted to each abstention or vote against MFP leader Pita Limjaroenrat.
Credit: Cory Wright
Citizens donned orange (the party’s color) in a show of support for Pita and the Move Forward Party.
Credit: Cory Wright
Protestors react to supporting votes for Pita outside of Parliament in Bangkok, Thailand.
Credit: Cory Wright
Protestors react to supporting votes as voting continued for Thailand’s 30th prime minister outside of parliament in Bangkok, Thailand.
Credit: Cory Wright
Braving the heat and subsequent rain, supporters staged a demonstration across from Thailand’s Parliament building in Bangkok.
Credit: Cory Wright
Orange, Move Forward’s official color, predominated outside of Parliament in a show of support for Pita and the Move Forward Party.
Credit: Cory Wright
Supporters braved the rain as storm clouds gathered as the voting continued into the late afternoon outside of parliament in Bangkok, Thailand.
Credit: Cory Wright
Protestors react to supporting votes for Pita outside of Parliament in Bangkok, Thailand.
Credit: Cory Wright
A supporter watches a live stream of the parliamentary voting in Bangkok, Thailand as the Pita’s chances of becoming prime minister dwindle.
Credit: Cory Wright
Protestors react to the increasing number of votes against Pita as voting concluded for Thailand’s 30th prime minister.
Credit: Cory Wright
A Move Forward supporter shows their dissatisfaction as a member of parliament votes against Pita during the prime ministerial vote in Bangkok, Thailand.
Credit: Cory Wright
Move Forward supporters became emotional as the voting for the prime minister vote concluded.
Credit: Cory Wright
A Move Forward supporter holds a fan with the face of Pita Limjaroenrat during the prime ministerial vote in Bangkok, Thailand.
Credit: Cory Wright
Pro-democracy activists address crowds outside of Parliament following an unsuccessful attempt by the winning Move Forward Party to secure the prime minister’s seat in Bangkok, Thailand.
Credit: Cory Wright
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Nearly two months after Thailand held national elections, the newly formed parliament convened on Thursday, July 13 to vote for the country’s next prime minister. While MPs prepared for the vote in the parliamentary chamber, supporters of the Move Forward Party (MFP) and its leader Pita Limjaroenrat gathered outside to follow the anticipated vote. Faced with the prospect of large gatherings, authorities placed shipping containers and barbed wire on roads leading to parliament to stop protestors from reaching the building.
In the weeks leading up to the vote Pita and members of the MFP appeared confident that they could secure the needed support to put their candidate in the top spot. With just 151 seats won by Move Forward in the election, and the MFP-led eight-party coalition holding a total of 312 seats, Pita needed the support of 64 conservative MPs or military-appointed senators to successfully become Thailand’s 30th prime minister.
Adding to these obstacles, just a day before the vote for prime minister, Thailand’s Election Commission announced that it would forward cases stemming from complaints over the MFP’s plans to amend Article 112, a law designed to protect the royal family, and complaints associated with Pita’s holding of media company shares to the Constitutional Court. This would effectively suspend Pita as an MP while the complaints were investigated and add another layer of difficulty to his bid to become Thailand’s next prime minister
When asked by foreign media about how confident he was ahead of entering the meeting Pita simply said, “I will do my best.”
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As voting progressed it became clear that Pita would not receive enough votes to become Thailand’s next leader. In total he gathered 324 votes, 52 votes short of the 376 he needed. It was announced before the vote began that if no candidate received enough support, another vote would be held on July 19.
It is expected that protestors will again come out to support Pita and the Move Forward Party on the day of the vote next week.
