Thailand enters general election

Thai voters will vote on May 14 to elect a new 500-seat House of Representatives in an election that could see the opposition return to power for the first time since 2014. More than 50 million Thais are eligible to vote and the Election Commission (EC) expects an 85% turnout in the general election.

Although 70 parties are contesting the election, the contest is expected to be between the incumbent Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha’s United Thai Nation (UTN) Party, the Pheu Thai Party and the Forward Party. Several other parties, although not highly regarded, could play a role in forming a coalition government, notably the Palang Pracharath Party and the Bhumjaithai Party.

According to Reuters, in addition to the competition between old and new political forces, Thai voters are also concerned with economic recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic, high household debt...

Many parties are trying to attract voters with commitments such as: giving cash, raising wages, allowing debt repayment deferrals... In addition, some parties such as Vi Nuoc Thai and Tien Buoc are calling for changes to the political system, such as reforming the military and rewriting the constitution.

Thái Lan bước vào tổng tuyển cử - Ảnh 1.

Preparations for the general election at a polling station in Bangkok, Thailand, May 13. Photo: REUTERS

The latest polls show the UTN trailing behind the Pheu Thai Party and the Forward Party. During his pre-election campaign, Prayut urged his supporters to remain united and support the UTN.

According to The Nation, Mr. Prayut pledged to continue investing in the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) and new areas such as electric vehicles, smart electronics, data centers, cloud services, etc., while also making efforts to attract foreign investment in new technologies. The leader also announced that he would quit politics if the UTN did not win enough seats to form a government in the election.

Meanwhile, the Pheu Thai Party, although predicted to win the most seats in the House of Representatives, may not have an easy time forming a new government. Bloomberg reported that the party's strategy focuses on proposals to boost the economy.

Specifically, according to Deputy Secretary General of the Pheu Thai Party Paopoom Rojanasakul, they plan to support investors in many aspects, such as law, labor, tax..., as well as promise to help small and medium enterprises (SMEs) compete better with large companies.

The March Forward Party has also been a big draw in this election, partly due to its push for bold, radical reforms to appeal to younger voters. Pita Limjaroenrat, the leader of the March Forward Party, says they have 300 policies they are ready to implement to change the country.

For example, on the economic front, the Forward Party pledges to support SMEs by providing tax breaks for companies investing in the EEC, providing loans to SMEs, and helping them enter global markets.

The race is unpredictable

Before the election, each party can nominate up to three candidates for prime minister, and they do not need to be elected MPs. After the election, only candidates from parties that have won at least 25 seats are considered. The 500 newly elected MPs and 250 appointed senators then go to a general parliamentary vote to choose the prime minister. To win, a candidate needs to receive at least 376 votes.

The list of potential prime ministerial candidates includes Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha. Earlier this year, the leader, born in 1954, left the Palang Pracharath Party and is currently a candidate for the UTN - a party founded in August 2022. Meanwhile, Ms. Paetongtarn Shinawatra, the youngest daughter of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, is one of the three prime ministerial candidates of the Pheu Thai Party. Notably, this 36-year-old female politician just gave birth 2 weeks ago.

The Forward Party’s candidate is leader Pita Limjaroenrat, 42, a graduate of Harvard University (USA). According to Al Jazeera, Mr. Limjaroenrat has become the preferred prime minister candidate over Ms. Paetongtarn in recent polls.

Joining the race for the prime minister's seat are a number of other notable names such as: Defense Minister Prawit Wongsuwan, Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, Mr. Jurin Laksanawisit (Democratic Party candidate)...

Spring Mai

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