Reuters: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
BANGKOK, July 14 – Thailand’s Move Forward party filed a motion in parliament on Friday seeking to curb the power of the military-appointed Senate, a day after the body thwarted its party leader’s bid to become prime minister.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The role of the 249-member Senate in deciding a prime minister<\/a> 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Move Forward won the most seats in an election in May but despite being unopposed and having the backing of his eight-party alliance, its leader Pita Limjaroenrat lost the crucial vote<\/a> on the premiership on Thursday, after the Senate and parties of the outgoing, army-backed government closed ranks to deny him the top job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Party secretary general Chaithawat Tulathon filed a motion on Friday to amend part of the constitution, saying “This is a solution that all sides will feel comfortable with”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “There are forces from the old power to pressure the Senate – from the old power to some capitalists who do not want to see a Move Forward government,” he said in an earlier television interview, adding it could take about one month to pass.<\/p>\n\n\n\n