Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn has approved a decree dissolving parliament , paving the way for a general election in the Southeast Asian country in May, Reuters reported on March 20, citing a notice in the Royal Gazette.
A general election in Thailand must be held 45-60 days after the country's House of Representatives is dissolved.
“This is a swift return of political decision-making power to the people to continue democratic government with the King as Head of State,” the decree, published on March 20, said.
The election date has not yet been announced, but Thai Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam previously said that a general election could be held on May 14 if the Thai House of Representatives is dissolved on March 20.
Thailand's election is expected to be a contest between the billionaire Shinawatra family and the country's conservative military establishment.
Paetongtarn Shinawatra, 36, the daughter and granddaughter of former Prime Ministers Thaksin Shinawatra and Yingluck Shinawatra, is the leading candidate for prime minister in opinion polls, with her support rising 10 points to 38.2% in a poll released over the weekend.
The poll by the National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA) showed incumbent Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, 68, in third place with 15.65%.
Ms. Paetongtarn Shinawatra, daughter of former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, is leading in opinion polls ahead of the 2023 Thai election. Photo: EPA
Prayuth, who has been in power since a 2014 coup, will run for re-election with a new party, the United Thai Nation. However, he will only be allowed to serve another two years before reaching the eight-year term limit, according to a ruling by Thailand's constitutional court.
Ms Paetongtarn, who is expected to be nominated as the Pheu Thai Party's candidate, said on March 17 that she was confident of a landslide victory in the election, with the aim of preventing any political action against her party.
Parties linked to the billionaire Shinawatra family have won the most seats in every election since 2001, The Guardian reports .
Minh Duc (According to Reuters, The Guardian)
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