Opposition wins big against pro-military faction

Thailand's reformist opposition won the most seats and the largest share of the popular vote in the Southeast Asian nation's general election on May 14.

With nearly all votes counted, the progressive May Forward Party (MFP) and the populist Pheu Thai Party (Pheu Thai) are expected to win 286 of the 500 seats in the lower house, according to preliminary results released by Thailand’s Election Commission on May 15. Together, the two parties won 63 percent of the vote.

But there remains uncertainty over whether they will be able to form the next government as the 250 members of the military-appointed Senate also vote to elect the prime minister.

Preliminary results of the general election updated by the Election Commission of Thailand at 9:47 a.m. on May 15, 2023. Photo: Bangkok Post

The general election was won by the MFP, a youth-led party that ran for the first time on a bold platform of reducing the entrenched power of Thailand's royalist military elite.

With more than 90% of the preliminary results published on the Election Commission of Thailand website, the MFP looks set to take the largest share in the House of Representatives with a total of 147 seats, including 112 constituency seats and 35 party-list seats.

Analysts described the result as “outstanding” as pre-election polls had predicted the MFP would come in second, behind Pheu Thai, the party with deep ties to the billionaire Shinawatra family and which has won the most seats in every Thai election since 2001.

In the general election on May 14, Pheu Thai is expected to win 138 seats, including 112 directly elected seats and 27 party-list seats.

Pita Limjaroenrat, leader of the Move Forward Party (MFP), on the day of the general election in Thailand, May 14, 2023. Photo: Getty Images

“It is clear that Move Forward has received great trust from the people and the country,” MFP leader Pita Limjaroenrat, 42, wrote on Twitter in the early morning of May 15.

He also tweeted something close to a declaration that he was “ready to become the 30th Prime Minister of Thailand” and pledged to serve all Thai people whether they voted for him or not.

Pheu Thai leader Paetongtarn Shinawatra, 36, congratulated the MFP on its victory in the general election, saying whichever party gets the most votes will lead the next government.

“We are ready to negotiate with Move Forward, but we are waiting for the official results,” she told reporters in Bangkok on May 15. “I am happy for them. We can work together.”

Ms. Paetongtarn Shinawatra, leader of the Pheu Thai Party, on the day of the general election in Thailand, May 14, 2023. Photo: Bloomberg

The electoral success of Move Forward and Pheu Thai dominated the front pages of Thai newspapers on the morning of May 15. The English-language Bangkok Post declared their performance at the polls a “victory.” It said orange and red had “taken over the country,” referring to the traditional colors of Move Forward and Pheu Thai. The Thai-language daily Matichon reported that Move Forward leader Pita Limjaroenrat was “close” to the top spot.

“This is a very impressive victory for the Move Forward Party,” said Titipol Phakdeewanich, a political science professor at Ubon Ratchathani University in eastern Thailand.

“It marks a big turning point for Thailand because it shows that most people in the country want change,” Titipol told Al Jazeera. “We are really seeing the power of voters who have fought so hard for change this time.”

Coming in third place in the unofficial results is the Thai Pride Party (Bhumjaithai) of Deputy Prime Minister and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, which supports legalizing marijuana in Thailand. As part of the current pro-military ruling coalition, the party is expected to win around 70 seats.

Meanwhile, the newly formed conservative United Thai National Party (UTNP) of incumbent Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, who first took power in a 2014 coup, came in fifth with 36 seats. Prayuth's former party, Palang Pracharath, led by his deputy Prawit Wongsuwan, came in fourth with around 40 seats.

Thailand's caretaker Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha at the headquarters of the United Thai National Party (UTNP) in Bangkok after the general election ended, May 14, 2023. Photo: Straits Times

Analysts say it will take weeks of negotiations before coalitions are formed and a prime minister is chosen.

Parties must have at least 25 seats to nominate a candidate, and a candidate needs to win at least 376 votes in both the House of Representatives and the Senate (700 seats in total) to become the next Prime Minister of Southeast Asia's No. 2 economy.

The Senate is appointed by the pro-military government and is expected to vote in favor of parties or blocs allied with the military.

That could turn smaller parties, such as Bhumjaitai, into a “kingmaker” dominating the appointment of the prime minister.

Thailand's Election Commission is expected to formally confirm the final number of seats each side won in the recent general election for several weeks .

Minh Duc (According to Al Jazeera, Nikkei Asia)

Source: https://www.nguoiduatin.vn/bau-cu-thai-lan-phe-doi-lap-thang-lon-truoc-phe-than-quan-doi-a607811.html