Opposition parties in Thailand took a commanding lead in the country’s parliamentary election on Sunday, according to an official vote tally, potentially signaling the end of the military’s nearly decade-long rule there.
BANGKOK, Thailand — Opposition parties in Thailand took a commanding lead in the country’s parliamentary election on Sunday, according to an official vote tally, potentially signaling the end of the military’s nearly decade-long rule here.With more than 80 percent of the ballots counted, the two biggest opposition parties had garnered well over 50 percent of the popular vote for the House of Representatives late Sunday, according to the Election Commission.
Thailand’s prime minister is elected by both chambers, meaning the opposition must win the House by large margins — but both parties have vowed not to form coalitions with their pro-military counterparts.“If people show their determination or their expression in choosing who will carry their dreams and hopes, no one should disregard the will of the people,” Pita Limjaroenrat, Move Forward’s leader and prime ministerial candidate said at a news conference as the vote count was underway.
Benjaporn Triluksanawi, 44, also a Move Forward supporter, said Sunday that people are suspicious because the Election Commission has often not provided enough transparency — in 2019, for example, it took six weeks to tabulate final results using a complex formula that was heavily criticized by opposition groups.“We want to see change,” said Benjaporn shortly after casting her vote in central Bangkok, “We’ve been in stasis for too long.
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