Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayuth retires from politics, nine years after his coup

• Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha announced his retirement from politics
• He will serve as interim prime minister until a new administration is established.
• Prayuth, 69, has refuted this and has stated that he has “achieved many successes.

Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha announced his retirement from politics today, nine years after taking power in a military coup, and promised to stay only temporarily in power.

His declaration came after his military-backed United Thai Nation party was thrashed in a May 14 election, winning only 36 of the 500 house seats. He will serve as interim prime minister until a new administration is established.

The former army chief, a strong royalist, led a junta until an election in 2019 and was elected prime minister for four more years by parliament, a conclusion his opponents claim was predetermined.

Prayuth, 69, has refuted this and has stated that he has “achieved many successes.”

“I as prime minister have worked hard to protect the nation, religion, monarchy for the benefit of the beloved people. The result is currently bearing fruit for the public,” he said in a statement.