Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha is to seek another term in a general election due to be held in the kingdom before May next year, he told local media on Friday (Dec 23).
Prayut came to power as army chief in a 2014 coup before cementing his position in a controversial 2019 election, but his popularity has been in the doldrums
The newly-created United Thai Nation Party “has offered to support me in becoming the next PM candidate in the next election”, he told reporters outside Government House in Bangkok.
“I will make it clear today … that I have decided that I will join the role
Prayut had been widely expected to leave his Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP), which leads the ruling coalition.
PPRP has announced its leader and acting deputy PM Prawit Wongsuwan will be the party’s candidate in the election.
Prayut and Prawit both served in Thailand’s military and their political fortunes have been intertwined for decades