Thai princess’ party faces ban

Thai Raksa Chart party leader Preechapol Pongpanich, holds up application of candidate for Prime Minister, Thailand's Princess Ubolratana Rajakanya Sirivadhana Varnavadi, at the election commission office in Bangkok, Thailand February 8, 2019. REUTERS

BANGKOK: The Thai political party that nominated a princess as its candidate for prime minister could be banned from a general election in March after an activist said he would file a petition seeking its dissolution.

Thailand’s Election Commission is to meet today to consider the candidacy of Princess Ubolratana Rajakanya Sirivadhana Barnavadi, 67, who stunned the nation on Friday when she said she would be the prime ministerial candidate for a populist party loyal to ousted ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra.