CNN  — 

Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha will not seek re-election and will retire from politics, his party said Tuesday.

The announcement came two days before Thailand’s parliament was set to vote for a new prime minister following a May election that saw Thais overwhelmingly reject military-backed rule.

Prayut has ruled Thailand since 2014, when as army chief, he seized power in a coup and declared himself prime minister. In 2019, his party’s coalition won the most seats in parliament and he was elected prime minister.

Thai opposition parties swept the board in May’s nationwide election as voters delivered a powerful rebuke of the military-backed establishment that has ruled since the coup, capping years of rising anger over how conservative cliques have governed the kingdom.

Prayut was not expected to gain enough support in the lower house to win another term as premier, as his party only won 36 seats in the May election.

Prayut will remain as prime minister until the new government is formed.

This is a developing story. More to come.