Letter confirms HM's power
The constitutional power of the monarchy, for the first time since political crisis hit the Kingdom, is confirmed to be at work through intervention in the three top courts.
In a letter from the Supreme Court to caretaker Senate Speaker Suchon Chaleekrua that calls the three remaining election commissioners unfit for office, the court refers to the Constitution's Article 3 that names His Majesty the King as head of state. It says he can exercise sovereign power belonging to the Thai people through Parliament, the Cabinet and the courts. Amid a political crisis when Parliament and the Cabinet are weakened or not in session, the letter states, HM the King can exercise his power through the courts to preserve peace and the rule of law. An example was when he ordered the presidents of the Supreme and Administrative courts to intervene to solve the crisis on April 25. His involvement with the Constitution, Administrative and Supreme courts therefore does not violate the highest law of the land, the letter says. For months anti-government groups have called for royal intervention to appoint a new prime minister, without an electoral mandate, claiming the act was authorised under Article 7 of the Constitution. HM the King later called the idea "unconstitutional".
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