Thailand's prime ministerial candidate Pita Limjaroenrat has accepted a court decision that suspends his MP status on Wednesday and left parliament.

Thailand's Constitutional Court ordered a temporary suspension of prime ministerial candidate Pita Limjaroenrat from parliament on Wednesday (July 19) after accepting a case against him alleging he was unqualified to run in a May 14 election.

The court decision came after accepting a case that alleges Pita, leader of the election-winning Move Forward Party, was unqualified to run in a May 14 election because he held shares in a media company, in violation of electoral rules. Pita, who was due to contest a parliamentary vote on the premiership on Wednesday, has argued his ownership of shares in a media company was not a violation of election rules. He has 15 days to respond, the court said in a statement.

Several Move Forward Party supporters gathered just outside the parliament to express their rage over the court’s decision just after the announcement.

It was not immediately clear whether the court announcement would scuttle Wednesday's vote, with lawmakers still debating Pita's nomination.

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