Opposition parties win big in Thai election

The liberal Move Forward Party and the populist Pheu Thai Party are leading by a wide margin after 99% of votes were counted, but are unlikely to form the next government due to Thailand's different electoral rules.

Preliminary results of the 2023 Thai election show that the Move Forward Party is temporarily leading with 151 seats (the characters in the photo are candidates for prime minister ). Graphic photo: Reuters (source: Election Commission of Thailand)

To win the final election, opposition parties need to reach agreements and rally support from many other parties, including lawmakers from the 250-seat Senate, in addition to the 500 seats in the House of Representatives that were just elected in the recent election.

According to preliminary results, the Forward Party topped the election with 151 seats in the House of Representatives, closely followed by the Pheu Thai Party, with 141 seats. That means, under Thailand's new election rules, either party would need to win three times that number of votes to form a new government.

The United Thai National Party of incumbent Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha won just 36 votes in the preliminary results. However, Prayuth could still be re-elected if the military-backed coalition and members of the Senate continue to support him in the upcoming prime minister election.

Young businessman Pita Limjaroenrat's Forward Party leads Thailand's election after preliminary results. Photo: Reuters

According to regulations, the new Prime Minister of Thailand needs to win at least half of the seats in the Thai National Assembly (including 250 Senate seats and 500 House of Representatives seats), equivalent to 376 seats or more.

The leader of the Forward Party, Pita Limjaroenrat, is only 42 and a former CEO of a ride-hailing app. He described the result as “dramatic” and vowed to stay true to his party’s values when forming a government. He said he was still open to a coalition with Pheu Thai and aimed to become prime minister.

The Pheu Thai Party, founded by former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, remains popular with working-class people and is hoping to regain ground in Thai politics, thanks to policies such as cheap health care, loans and agricultural subsidies.

Paetongtarn Shinawatra, 36, Thaksin's daughter, is also said to be aiming to follow in the footsteps of her father and aunt Yingluck Shinawatra, becoming Thailand's next prime minister. Thaksin and Yingluck were both ousted in previous military coups.

Huy Hoang (according to CNA, Reuters)

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Source: https://www.congluan.vn/cac-dang-doi-lap-thang-cach-biet-trong-cuoc-bau-cu-thai-lan-post247672.html