Forward Party wins Thailand's general election

The Bangkok Post reported that the National Election Commission of Thailand (NEC) said on the morning of May 15 that the vote counting was complete and the Move Forward Party (MFP) won the general election held the day before.

Đảng Tiến lên giành thắng lợi trong tổng tuyển cử Thái Lan - Ảnh 1. — Forward Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat at the party headquarters in Bangkok on May 15.

NEC Chairman Ittiporn Boonpracong said the MFP won a total of 151 seats, followed by Pheu Thai with 141 seats, Bhumjaithai with 71 seats and Palang Pracharath with 40 seats. The United Thai National Party (UTN) represented by current Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha won 36 seats. The remaining seats went to the Democrats, Chartthaipattana, Prachachat, Thai Sang Chart, Pheu Thai Ruam Palang, Chartpattanakla, Seriruamthai and Thai Sang Thai parties.

Alliance Plan

According to the NEC, the turnout reached 75.22% of more than 52 million voters, surpassing the 75.03% in 2011. Thai voters flocked to the polls and many did not choose the current Prime Minister Prayuth, after criticizing the stagnant economy . Mr. Pita Limjaroenrat (43 years old), leader of the MFP, said he is building a coalition of six parties, including Pheu Thai. "I am ready to become the 30th prime minister of Thailand," AFP quoted him as telling reporters at the MFP headquarters in Bangkok.

Thai opposition wins election, will discuss alliance with Shinawatra family party

Mr. Pita called the candidate of the Pheu Thai Party, Ms. Paetongtarn Shinawatra, daughter of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, to congratulate and invite them to join the coalition. These two main opposition parties won a total of 292 seats, exceeding the 251 seats needed to form a government in the lower house. Mr. Pita is trying to form a six-party coalition with 309 seats. However, this is still not enough to secure the 376 seats needed in parliament for him to firmly hold the position of Prime Minister.

Meanwhile, the Pheu Thai party said it agreed with Mr. Pita's proposal and wished him luck in his bid to become prime minister. "Pheu Thai has no plans to form another government," Reuters quoted the party's leader Chonlanan Srikaew as saying.

New direction

Observers say the MFP's victory brings a new dimension to years of power struggles between the Shinawatra clan and military-backed parties. The MFP has vowed to reform the lese majeste law, which carries a penalty of up to 15 years in prison, so clashes with the royalist military are expected. The MFP is the only party committed to reforming the law on lese majeste. The topic has long been absent from Thai politics, and even the Pheu Thai party has said it will leave it to parliament to decide. However, Mr. Pita said on May 14 that "no matter what, we will push for reform of the lese majeste law."

Mr. Pita has been an active presence in the election campaign. With a photogenic face, this politician uses his youth and energy to reach voters who are hungry for change after 8 years of military-backed government rule. The politician studied in New Zealand and the US, won an international scholarship to Harvard University (USA), before becoming a businessman. However, after his father died when he was 25, he returned to run the family's debt-ridden Agrifood business and turned it around. He then became the transportation and delivery director of Grab Thailand. In 2012, he married Thai TV actress Chutima Teepanat and the two have a 7-year-old daughter. The marriage broke down in 2019. His daughter appeared a lot in the election campaign, as he often brought her on stage after his speeches, to the delight of the crowd. He has a personal account with nearly 1 million followers, where he shares pictures of himself and his daughter wearing matching T-shirts and eating ice cream. Now he is trying to form alliances with other parties and attract more support, before the two houses of parliament elect a prime minister in July from among the eligible candidates.

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