The political party that nominated a Thai princess as a candidate for prime minister has said it will comply with the king’s wishes after he called the move inappropriate and unconstitutional.
On Friday, Princess Ubolratana Mahidol made the unprecedented bid for political power.
The move broke with tradition of the Thai royal family publicly staying out of politics.
Later on Friday night her brother, King Vajiralongkorn, denounced her actions.
The princess was standing for the Thai Raksa Chart Party, which released a statement on Saturday to say it complied "with the royal command with loyalty to the king and all members of the royal family".
In a statement broadcast on all Thai TV networks, the palace said the princess’s act would “defy the nation’s culture.”
"Even though she has relinquished her royal titles in writing, she maintained her status and carried herself as a member of the Chakri dynasty.
"Involvement of a high-ranking member of the royal family in politics, in whatever way, is considered an act that defies the nation's traditions, customs and culture, and therefore is considered extremely inappropriate."
The statement cited a passage of the constitution that says the monarchy should maintain political neutrality.
Princess Ubolratana, who is active on Instagram, did not directly mention the king’s order in a Saturday message, instead thanking people for their support and encouragement and insisting on her sincere desire to see Thailand progress with rights and opportunities for all its people.
The princess relinquished her royal titles in 1972 after marrying an American fellow student, but she is still treated by officials and the Thai public as a member of the royal family.
Thailand's March 24 election will be the country's first since a 2014 military coup put in place a junta determined to reshape the political system to eradicate the influence of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, whose allies have won every national election since 2001.
So it was not only a shock that Ubolratana was formally entering politics, but also that she was doing so in alliance with a Thaksin-backed party.
Her candidacy would have pitted her against the junta leader and current Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, the preferred choice for premier of the pro-royalist military.
Thaksin was ousted by the military in a 2006 coup, and the country's establishment has spent more than a decade trying to neuter his political machine through court rulings, constitutional rewrites and other changes to the electoral system.
In addition to deepening political divisions that have flared into protests and street violence, the campaign has had little success.
