Frank Franklin II AP / Press Association Images
- Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha faces his third no-confidence vote since his government took power in 2019.
- The opposition said they found gaps in his administration's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and economic affairs.
- Protestors have taken to the streets as Thailand struggles to fight its worst virus outbreak to date.
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Thailand's main opposition party filed a vote of no-confidence against current Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, reported The Bangkok Post on Monday, as pressure mounts on his government for its handling of the country's worst COVID-19 outbreak to date.
Five of his cabinet members – the public health, transport, labor, agriculture and cooperatives, and digital economy and society ministers- will also face a no-confidence motion, said opposition leader Yutthapong Charasathien, per The Post. He added that the opposition had found gaps in the government's pandemic response and economic affairs.
The parliament may vote on these motions later this month or in early September, according to Bloomberg.
Prayut and his administration have been repeatedly slammed by opposition groups and pro-democracy movements as daily COVID cases in Thailand skyrocket to their highest ever at 21,157 infections on Monday.
To date, there have been 928,314 infections reported in Thailand and 7,734 COVID-related deaths.
The government introduced curfews, along with travel and shopping restrictions, but said infections are expected to double next month even with the new measures, reported Reuters.
Protestors have taken to the streets nearly every day, defying a pandemic ban on gathering and clashing with police forces, who used water cannons and tear gas to disperse them. Others have formed "car mobs," in which they drive around Bangkok or other cities to demonstrate while abiding by COVID regulations.
This will be the third no-confidence vote against Prayut since his current administration took office in 2019. He fended off the previous one in February, with 272 votes for him and 206 against. The opposition had brought the February vote to parliament based on grievances similar to this week's.