Surprise, suspicion in Thailand as pro-army party leads election race by ChayutSet patpichatan
BANGKOK - A party linked to Thailand’s military led the popular vote after most ballots had been counted from Sunday’s general election, the country’s first since a 2014 coup, giving it a surprise advantage over anti-junta parties hoping to make a comeback.
The strong showing by the pro-junta party dismayed voters who had hoped the poll would loosen the grip that traditional elites and the military have long held on power in a country that has one of the highest measures of inequality in the world. He said the party’s legal team was considering whether to submit complaints to the Election Commission.
Based on a Reuters tally of partial results of the 350 constituency seats contested on Sunday, Pheu Thai was on track to win at least 129 and Palang Pracharat at least 102. The means Prayuth’s party and allies have to win only 126 seats in the lower house, while Pheu Thai and its potential “democratic front” partners would need 376.The royal family, which wields great influence and commands the devotion of millions of Thais, played a part in the election though how far this determined the outcome was unclear.
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