Thai opposition leader Pita Limjaroenrat was blocked from taking over as prime minister in a parliamentary vote on Thursday ( 13 July 2023).

• Pita's Move Forward Party won the most seats during national elections in May and formed a coalition with other minority parties to secure 312 seats in the 749-member parliament but failed to win over the military-backed Senate.
• Despite being the lone candidate on Parliament's ballot on Thursday, Limjaroenrat won 324 votes, compared to 182 votes against him and 199 abstentions. 
• He fell short of the 375 votes needed to become Thailand's 30th prime minister.