Thailand started voting on Sunday March 24,2019 in a long-delayed
election that Prayuth Chan-ocha, the general who led the coup against
the country's last elected government five years ago, hopes will return
him to power as a civilian prime minister.
The vote is taking place under a new constitution that gives the
military considerable influence over the country's civilian politics and
makes it difficult for any party to win a majority in the 500-seat
lower house.
The prime minister will be the person who wins a majority across both houses, and the 250-seat senate is largely appointed by the military, which is likely to give Chan-ocha an advantage.
Nevertheless, campaigning has been spirited and Pheu Thai, the party linked to former prime minister and exiled tycoon Thaksin Shinawatra that has its power base in the rural northeast, is expected to win the most seats
Thailand has been consumed by divisions between supporters and opponents of Thaksin Shinawatra, since he was elected prime minister in 2001 promising to help ordinary people who had long felt ignored by the traditional elites in Bangkok.
Thaksin was ousted in a coup in 2006 after mass street protests by the so-called "yellow shirts" and lives in exile after being found guilty of corruption. He says the charges were politically motivated.
The cycle of Thaksin-backed election win, instability and coup continued until Prayuth seized control of the country in 2014, banning political activity and cracking down on freedom of expression.
Despite the ban being lifted to allow election campaigning, parties and candidates continue to operate in a restrictive environment.
Thai Raksa Chart, another Thaksin-linked party, was banned and dissolved in February after nominating Princess Ubolratana, the king's elder sister, as its candidate for prime minister.
Thanathorn faces court on Tuesday for criticising the military.
Parties need to secure 376 seats for a majority so it is possible for Palang Pracharat to form a government with only 126 seats in the lower house, assuming they have the support of the 250-seat upper house which is largely appointed by the military
Thais are choosing their representatives through a complicated system that includes both direct votes and party lists, and while the official results will not be announced until after the coronation of King Vajiralongkorn, the Elections Commission is expected to hold a press conference on Sunday night once about 80 percent of the votes have been counted
Polling stations across the country opened at 8am
(01:00 GMT) and will remain open until 5pm (22:00 GMT), giving voters
two hours longer to cast their ballots than in previous elections.
About 52 million voters are registered to vote, some seven million of them for the first time.
The prime minister will be the person who wins a majority across both houses, and the 250-seat senate is largely appointed by the military, which is likely to give Chan-ocha an advantage.
Nevertheless, campaigning has been spirited and Pheu Thai, the party linked to former prime minister and exiled tycoon Thaksin Shinawatra that has its power base in the rural northeast, is expected to win the most seats
Thailand has been consumed by divisions between supporters and opponents of Thaksin Shinawatra, since he was elected prime minister in 2001 promising to help ordinary people who had long felt ignored by the traditional elites in Bangkok.
Thaksin was ousted in a coup in 2006 after mass street protests by the so-called "yellow shirts" and lives in exile after being found guilty of corruption. He says the charges were politically motivated.
The cycle of Thaksin-backed election win, instability and coup continued until Prayuth seized control of the country in 2014, banning political activity and cracking down on freedom of expression.
Despite the ban being lifted to allow election campaigning, parties and candidates continue to operate in a restrictive environment.
Thai Raksa Chart, another Thaksin-linked party, was banned and dissolved in February after nominating Princess Ubolratana, the king's elder sister, as its candidate for prime minister.
Thanathorn faces court on Tuesday for criticising the military.
Parties need to secure 376 seats for a majority so it is possible for Palang Pracharat to form a government with only 126 seats in the lower house, assuming they have the support of the 250-seat upper house which is largely appointed by the military
Thais are choosing their representatives through a complicated system that includes both direct votes and party lists, and while the official results will not be announced until after the coronation of King Vajiralongkorn, the Elections Commission is expected to hold a press conference on Sunday night once about 80 percent of the votes have been counted
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