The Thai parliament will vote for a new prime minister after royal officials rejected a request by the ruling Pheu Thai Party to dissolve parliament.

Caretaker Premier Phumtham Wechayachai said on Thursday that the Office of the Privy Council had rejected Pheu Thai’s request, saying it was “inappropriate to present the draft of the Royal Decree to His Majesty at this time”.

The party of former Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, which is still governing in a caretaking capacity, submitted its request to dissolve the legislature to the palace on Wednesday.

The office told Wechayachai there were “disputed legal issues” over the authority of a caretaker premier to dissolve parliament.

The decision leaves the way open for the parliament to elect a new leader, amid a power vacuum that

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