Thailand elections: Polls close, opposition set for gains

World Sunday 14/May/2023 15:07 PM
By: DW
Thailand elections: Polls close, opposition set for gains

Bangkok: Polls closed in Thailand on Sunday after a smooth day of voting, with no major problems reported by Thai media.

The election is expected to unseat the ruling conservative military-backed government of Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha after almost a decade.

The main opposition Pheu Thai party, led by former premier Thaksin Shinawatra's daughter Paetongtarn Shinawatra, along with the Move Forward party— were projected to win most of the 500 seats of the lower house, in the final opinion polls.

After casting her ballot in Bangkok, Shinawatra showed no signs of nerves. "Today is going to be a good day. I have very positive energy about it," the 36-year-old told reporters.

The progressive Move Forward Party, led by 42-year-old Pita Limjaroenrat, has also made strong gains, especially among younger voters.

Both parties are pitted against rivals from the conservative, military-backed establishment that currently holds sway.

Incumbent Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-Cha is running for re-election with his newly formed conservative United Thai Nation Party. As one of those involved in Thailand's 2014 military coup, Prayut became premier after a controversial 2019 election.

Prawit Wongsuwan, who leads the Palang Pracharath Party, was also one of the chief architects of the 2014 coup. He was a close ally of Prayut, serving as his deputy prime minister, until they fell out.

Preliminary results are expected by late evening, although the final number of seats for each party will not be officially confirmed for several weeks.

The general elections in Thailand will see about 52 million eligible voters choosing between progressive opposition parties and the incumbent government led by Prayuth who first came to power in a 2014 coup.

About 95,000 polling stations set up across the country opened at 8:00 am (0100 GMT) on Sunday.

This is the first election being held since youth-led pro-democracy protests broke out in 2020.

A political party, or coalition, needs to win a majority of 376 votes from both the 500-seat lower house and the 250 military-appointed senators.

The next premier will be selected in a joint session of the lower house and the 250-seat Senate, which will take place in July.

Fears linger despite a wind of change
Despite opinion polls suggesting the likelihood of a change in government, a history of military coups, court orders and junta-formulated 2017 constitution sustain fears of the military's continued rule.

In the 2019 elections, Pheu Thai won most seats but its military-backed nemesis, the Palang Pracharath Party, entered into a coalition with Prayuth as prime minister.

The Senate, which comprises members who favor the military, will jointly decide the fate of the country which has seen dozens of coups in the last century and witnessed a series of street protests.