UPDATE 2 - Thai premier hopeful vacates parliament seat after top court order

UPDATES WITH QUOTES FROM PITA LIMJAROENRAT, REVISES HEADLINE, DECK, LEDE

By Riyaz ul Khaliq and Necva Tastan

ISTANBUL (AA) - Thailand’s leading prime ministerial candidate Pita Limjaroenrat on Wednesday vacated his parliament seat after the Constitutional Court ordered his suspension from the legislature pending an inquiry into his shares in a media firm.

“Thailand has experienced changes since (the elections on) May 14, and the people have achieved half of their victory,” Pita, the head of the Move Forward Party (MFP), told parliament, confirming he had received the order from the top court to stand down as a lawmaker.

"Even though I’m not carrying out my duties (as MP), I’m asking my fellow MPs to look after the people," he said.

"May I use this opportunity to say goodbye, until we see again,” said 42-year-old Pita.

The bicameral parliament will undergo a second round of voting to elect the prime minister after Pita failed last week to garner minimum support to become the country’s 30th chief executive.

He has 15 days to appeal the court order, which does not bar him from being nominated as premier since the head of the government does not have to be a sitting lawmaker.

However, Pita's failed to be renominated. "The attempt to renominate Pita for prime minister failed in voting, by the joint sitting of MPs and senators, on a motion against the renomination, by 395 votes to 312 and eight abstentions," according to the Thai Public Broadcasting Service.

Ahead of the first vote held last week, Thailand's election authority sought action against the frontrunner over allegations of hiding his shares in a media outlet during the May 14 elections.

Pita was elected a lawmaker in the May elections and his MFP party won 151 seats in the 500-seated lower house of the bicameral parliament.

His party called the election authority's move to approach the top court "unfair."

The election body has rejected the assertion.

- Election for next premier

The newly elected lawmakers, along with 249 senators, are scheduled to vote on Wednesday to elect Thailand's 30th prime minister.

Pita, who is leading an eight-party coalition, failed to get minimum of 375 votes in the first round held last week.

He was the sole contender for the post after he was nominated by Pheu Thai Party leader Cholnan Srikaew during a joint sitting of the bicameral parliament. Some 302 lawmakers backed the nomination.

The coalition candidate got only 324 votes at the joint session, falling short of the majority he needs.

At least 182 lawmakers voted against Pita, while 199 others abstained from voting.

A total of 705 lawmakers cast their ballot, including, crucially, members of the junta-appointed Senate.

Initially commanding the support of 312 lawmakers in his coalition, Pita received only 12 votes from other parties.

Thailand's parliament — consisting of 500 elected lawmakers and 250 senators — voted during the election for the prime minister's post in the joint session. One of the senators had resigned ahead of the vote.