Prayut Chan-o-cha to win Thai polls
BANGKOK: Thailand would hold its national polls on Sunday for the first time since a military coup in 2014. In all likelihood, the military coup leader and current Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha would return to power. Prayut is a retired military general.
Under Prayut’s administration, the military introduced a constitution that allocated 250 Senate seats to the military. It also limited the number of seats each political party can win. The polls on Sunday would involve 500 seats in the lower house of the parliament.
The total number of seats in both Senate and lower house total upto 750 seats. Assuming the senate backs Prayut, he would require support from another 126 seats from the lower house.
This is because a prime minister needs the support of both the Senate and lower house members to hold the top executive post.
Palang Pracha Rath (PPRP) – Power of the People’s State is the sole party contesting for the seats in the lower house that is also backing the military.
The opposition is made up of Pheu Thai party, founded by former prime minister Thaksin Shinawat. To get around the seat limit hurdle imposed in the constitution, his ally formed Thai Raksa Chart.
The party stole the media limelight last month by nominating Princess Ubolratana Rajakanya, the king’s sister, as its prime minister candidate.
The move did not get the green light from the palace and Thai Raksa Chart was dissolved by the court.
Another party expected to back Pheu Thai is the Future Forward. Pheu Thai and its allies are pro Thaksin parties.
One party that is neither pro – military nor pro – Thaksin is the Democrat party, led by Abhisit Vejjajiva, is the oldest party in Thailand. Vejjajiva is eyeing for merely 150 seats.
Given the above scenario it is very likely that there would be protests among the people and the opposition would claim that the constitution denied them a chance to form a government.
