Thailand’s Move Forward seek to curb Senate powers

Thailand’s election winning Move Forward party announced on Friday a plan to try to curb the power of the military-appointed Senate, a day after its members thwarted the party leader’s bid to become prime minister.
The role of the 249-member Senate in deciding a prime minister along with the elected lower house – a system designed by the royalist military after a 2014 coup – is seen as a constitutional safeguard to protect the interests of the generals and the conservative establishment.
Despite being unopposed and with the backing of his eight-party alliance, Move Forward’s Pita Limjaroenrat lost the crucial vote on the premiership on Thursday, after the Senate and parties of the outgoing, army-backed government closed ranks to deny him the top job.
Only 13 senators backed 42-year-old Pita, with the rest voting against him or abstaining, which his party said indicated some were acting under duress.