Thai court suspends PM candidate, to rule whether he broke election law

Thailand's Constitutional Court on Wednesday agreed to suspend Move Forward Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat, a candidate to become prime minister, from his duties as a member of Parliament pending its ruling on whether he violated election law.

The court's announcement came on the verge of a likely second vote in Parliament whether to confirm Pita as prime minister. His party was the top finisher in May's general election and assembled an eight-party coalition that won 312 seats in the House of Representatives.

However, the coalition failed to win enough support in an initial vote last week from the Senate, which votes together with the lower house to name the new prime minister.

The court's announcement still would allow Pita's nomination and selection as prime minister, at least until a ruling.

Thailand's state Election Commission had referred Pita's case to the court, saying there was evidence he had violated election law over his alleged undeclared ownership of media company shares, which are banned for lawmakers.