Thailand’s pro-democracy opposition won a resounding victory in general elections on Sunday. According to preliminary results, the winner of the vote is the progressive Move Forward party led by Pita Limjaroenrat. He wants to forge a six-party coalition that now has a majority in the lower house. But that shouldn’t be easy, because the Senate must also agree – that’s where the military has the say.
The 42-year-old Limjaroenrat party, which was founded in 2014, has a total of about 150 seats in the 500-strong parliament after counting almost all votes, according to the election commission. Opposition party Pheu Thai (PTP), led by 36-year-old Paetongtarn Shinawatra, took second place with some 140 seats. She is the daughter of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was deposed in 2006 and now lives in exile.
Very high voter turnout
The ruling army, which came to power in 2014 after a coup led by current Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, suffered heavy losses. Turnout was more than 75 percent, the highest ever.
Pita Limjaroenrat tweeted that he was ready to become Thailand’s next prime minister. His party advocates, among other things, for the abolition of conscription and reform of the monarchy. The Southeast Asian country has perhaps the strictest lese majeste law in the world, with long prison sentences. This has been protested for quite some time.
“Will Change the Country”
“Together we will change the country,” the party leader continued, adding that he wants to be the head of government for all Thais, whether they support his policies or not. However, observers say there is still a long and complicated road ahead.
Limjaroenrat is aiming for a coalition of his Move Forward Party, the PTP and four other parties, which together should have about 309 of the 500 seats in the lower house, he explained after the election (see video above). However, together with the 500 newly elected members of parliament, 250 senators appointed by the army also decide on the head of government. After the coup in 2014, the generals wrote this arrangement into the constitution in their favor. It is considered unlikely that the senators will support the opposition.
“Stormy Days Ahead”
And so the incumbent prime minister or another party close to the military could theoretically lead a minority government, despite the failed election. The Bangkok Post newspaper noted, “While we hope the Senate honors the spirit of democracy by respecting the rule of majority voting, comments from some senators suggest stormy days ahead.”
Sunday’s general election, with around 52 million voters in total, was the first nationwide election since pro-democracy protests began in 2020. It has become a generational divide between the pro-democracy opposition, backed by young and rural voters, and the conservative, with the military-allied royalist establishment typified by Prayuth and his UTN.
Will the military intervene?
Since the end of absolute monarchy in 1932, there have been twelve successful coups in Thailand. Observers believe that military intervention is possible if the current opposition parties form a government. In addition, rumors recently circulated in the country that the opposition MFP could be dissolved by a court order – just like its predecessor party FFP after the surprisingly good election result in 2019.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
