Thailand court suspends Pita as lawmaker as parliament votes on PM

Const. Ct. suspends Pita Limjaroenrat from parliament, giving him 15 days to respond. Move Forward Party says suspension won't affect his nomination for PM. Pita needs majority backing from bicameral parliament to be endorsed, but faces resistance from military.

Thailand's Constitutional Court ordered a temporary suspension of prime ministerial candidate Pita Limjaroenrat from parliament on July 19 after accepting a case against him alleging he was unqualified to run in a May 14 election.

Mr. Pita, who was due to contest a parliamentary vote on the premiership on Wednesday, has argued his ownership of shares in a media company was not a violation of election rules.

He has 15 days to respond, the court said in a statement.

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Mr. Pita's election-winning Move Forward Party said the suspension should not affect Mr. Pita's nomination for the prime ministerial vote, which rival politicians have been seeking to block him from.

The 42-year-old, U.S.-educated liberal needs the backing of more than half of the bicameral parliament to be endorsed as the next prime minister, but must overcome fierce resistance from a military at odds with his party's anti-establishment ambitions.

He lost his initial bid last week after being blocked by the army-appointed Senate in a joint vote on the premiership.