The Speaker of Thailand's Parliament has announced that the next round of voting to choose the nation's new Prime Minister has been postponed. The move is likely to prolong the country's political deadlock. It comes after the opposition's stunning victory in May's General Election.
 
The parliamentary vote was scheduled to be held on Thursday. The Speaker cited the submission of a petition seeking a review of Pita Limjaroenrat's rejection from the poll, as a reason for the decision. Pita is the leader of the Move Forward Party. He tried to participate in last week's second-round vote. But conservative lawmakers blocked him by passing a motion. They claimed Pita's re-nomination would breach a parliamentary regulation. The petition argues the motion violates the Constitution. The next vote will take place after the Constitutional Court makes a ruling on the petition.