Following months of speculation, the Thai Constitutional Court accepted a petition to rule on coup-maker Prayuth Chan-ocha’s eight-year term limit, suspending him immediately awaiting a final verdict.

 

Before you pop the champagne cork, the judges’ 5-4 vote means that kingmaker and deputy prime minister Prawit Wongsuwon, 77, is acting prime minister. 

 

If you’re not familiar with the name, he’s known for his luxury watch collection and barely being able to stay awake during parliament meetings—and of course his famous quote, “don’t know, don’t know, don’t know.”

 

Supporters of the ex-prime minister, who took power in a military coup in 2014, were hoping that the Charter’s eight-year term limit would begin from the year of its passing in 2017, others were even hoping that the PM’s term would be said to have begun at the 2019 election. 

 

Candidates from the 2019 election may be eligible for the position following the ruling.