Thailand election panel disqualifies princess as prime ministerial candidate

The ruling ends Princess Ubolratana's short-lived candidacy for a populist party after Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn called her bid for PM inappropriate.

Princess Ubolratana was omitted from the official list of parties' candidates for prime minister. Source: AP

Thailand's Election Commission has disqualified the sister of the king from running for prime minister.

The ruling ends a stunning, short-lived candidacy for a populist party after King Maha Vajiralongkorn called the bid "inappropriate".

Princess Ubolratana was omitted from the official list of parties' candidates for prime minister. Source: AP

The commission released the official list of parties' candidates for prime minister without the name of Princess Ubolratana, 67, the older sister of the king.

Members of the royal family should be "above politics" and therefore cannot "hold any political office," the commission said in a statement, echoing the wording of a public statement from the king on Friday.

Thai Raksa Chart Party leader Preechapol Pongpanich shows a document nominating Princess Ubolratana Mahidol as candidate for prime minister. Source: AAP

The princess had accepted the nomination of Thai Raksa Chart party, made up of supporters of ousted former premier Thaksin Shinawatra.