Caretaker Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has been selected by her Pheu Thai Party as its candidate for the premiership in a general election scheduled on February 2, news reports said on Tuesday.

Yingluck, the younger sister of fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, dissolved Parliament on Monday in the face of mass demonstrations against her government and his ongoing political influence.

King Bhumibol Adulyadej, as head of state, endorsed the dissolution on Monday night and set an election date for February 2.

Protesters said the house dissolution is not enough, and called for political reforms. Suthep Thaugsuban, who led more than 100,000 people marching on Government House on Monday, vowed the fight would continue until it “uproots the Thaksin regime.” Suthep said they would push for an appointed “people’s council” and “people’s government” to implement reforms aimed at ridding the political system of corruption.

At the centre of the political upheaval is the Prime Minister’s brother, who has been living abroad since 2008 to avoid a two-year jail sentence for abuse of power.

He was premier during 2001-06, before being ousted by a coup, and is still regarded as the de facto leader of Yingluck’s party.

Related Topics