It’s a new dawn for Thailand. After nearly a decade of military-influenced governance, the progressive-thinking Move Forward party appears to have won the general elections, even winning more votes than main opposition party Pheu Thai.
Thailand held general elections yesterday (May 14), with 67 political parties sending off candidates to run for 500 MP seats in Parliament. Unofficial results, which came later in the evening, showed that Move Forward, the progressive left-wing party led by Harvard alumnus Pita Limcharoerat, has won the most votes across the nation, securing 151 MP seats. A favorite among Gen Z, the party ran on a platform that focuses on new politics and structural reformation, including adjustments in military drafting, local government, and the lese-majeste law. Clearly, Thais are desperate to see big, big changes.
Pheu Thai, the major opposition party led by Pimthongtha Shinawatra and Sansiri tycoon Sretta Thavisin, came in second with 141 MPs. Third place saw marijuana advocate Bhumjaithai, while military-backed parties Ruam Thai Sang Chart (United Thai Nation) and Palang Pracharath had dismal showing at 4th and 5th place, respectively.
In the general elections, each Thai citizen can cast two votes: one for the MP of his or her district, which makes up 400 seats, and one for the party list they like, which are allotted 100 seats. Combined, these MPs make up the House of Representatives.
Results will still have to be validated by the election committee. But when official results have been announced, the next step for the Moving Forward party is to seek alliances to be able to form a multi-party government.