Thai election panel disqualifies Princess Ubolratana as PM candidate

Thai election panel disqualifies Princess Ubolratana as PM candidate
Princess Ubolratana is the older sister of the Thai king. The Election Commission said that members of the royal family should be "above politics" and therefore cannot "hold any political office".
PHOTO: AFP

BANGKOK - Thailand's Election Commission on Monday (Feb 11) disqualified the sister of the king from running for prime minister, ending a stunning, short-lived candidacy for a populist party after King Maha Vajiralongkorn called the bid "inappropriate".

The commission released the official list of parties' candidates for prime minister without the name of Princess Ubolratana, 67, the older sister of the king.

Members of the royal family should be "above politics" and therefore cannot "hold any political office", the commission said in a statement, echoing the wording of a public statement from the king last Friday (Feb 8).

The princess had accepted the nomination of Thai Raksa Chart party, made up of supporters of ousted former premier Thaksin Shinawatra.

READ ALSO: Party that nominated Thai princess for PM faces ban after king's rebuke

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