politicsClosed May 15, 2023
Pro-Democracy Parties in Thailand Make Comeback a Decade Since Coup
- Move Forward party leads vote in pro-democracy surge
- Pheu Thai is second, is open to Move Forward-led coalition
- Pheu Thai ready to back Move Forward’s Pita as prime minister
- Election follows years of rule by military-backed leaders
Thanks for joining us. Here are the key takeaways from the Thai election on May 14 which saw pro-democracy parties win a majority of lower house seats and unseat the country’s military-backed government:
- With roughly 99% of votes counted, Move Forward had won the most support, followed by fellow pro-democracy party Pheu Thai. If the results hold, the two parties are projected to win about 292 seats, more than enough for a coalition majority in the 500-seat lower house
- Pheu Thai’s leader Cholnan Srikaew said the party is ready to back Move Forward’s Pita Limjaroenrat as prime minister. “We respect the voice of the Thai people. They gave the mandate to Move Forward to win the most seats,” Cholnan said. “We are willing to work with them as the pro-democracy party”
- Negotiations are still likely, and the Senate -- which was appointed by the incumbent military-backed government -- has a say in legislation and the next premier
- There was a record turnout, with 39 million eligible voters casting a ballot, or 75.2% of eligible citizens. Military-backed parties did relatively poorly, and analysts said the Thai people showed a desire for change
- The Thai baht rallied on the news, which came ahead of positive data showing faster-than-expected first-quarter growth, but stocks fell. Analysts said that while the vote was taken positively, investors will be cautious amid talks to form a government
