Thailand Prime Minister to Resign Amid Allegations
Facing charges of corruption and mismanagement, Prime Minister Banharn Silpa-archa said today that he will resign within seven days.
Banharn announced his resignation under pressure from his coalition partners just ahead of a confidence vote. He said he will choose a successor from the six-party coalition.
The announcement followed a blistering three-day censure debate where charges of corruption, mismanagement of the economy and lying about his nationality were leveled at the prime minister.
Nearly an hour after the censure vote was supposed to have been held, Banharn appeared at a news conference with the leaders of his six-party coalition and acknowledged that his position had been made untenable.
“I’m tired,” Banharn said. “I’ve done the best in my work. After today, I will resign in seven days.”
The confidence vote followed immediately afterward, with Banharn winning, 207-180.
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