Millions of Thais will brave scorching temperatures Sunday to vote in an election that could return the country to civilian rule after a decade under the military. Here's what to know about the election and the main candidates for prime minister.
Thailand is a constitutional monarchy. The monarch, King Vajiralongkorn, is the head of state but exercises little direct influence over the government, which is led by the prime minister.
The prime minister is elected by a National Assembly, which consists of a Senate and a House of Representatives. After seizing control in a 2014 coup, Thailand’s military leaders gave the military the power to appoint all 250 members of the Senate, leaving voters with the ability only to elect members of the 5oo-member House.
Sitting senators, which include Prayuth’s brother and close aides, are expected to show overwhelming support for the military in this election, as they did in 2019, meaning that the opposition needs to sweep the House — winning 376 seats out of 500 — to have a shot at forming a government.
the country can’t afford. Thailand’s economic growth has lagged behind its neighbors in recent years, and the ruling government has come under criticism for failing to attract more investment from emerging sectors like tech.More so than previous elections, this cycle has also called into question the legitimacy of some of Thailand’s most revered institutions, from the military to the monarchy.
The fact that such topics have been raised openly in debates and rallies has already made this election unprecedented, said Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a professor of political science at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok.What ends up happening on polling day and in the weeks after will have far-reaching implications in Southeast Asia, where the United States and China have been jockeying for influence. Over the past decade, the military regime has tilted away from Washington and closer to Beijing.
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