The ruling Bhumjaithai Party, led by conservative Prime Minister Anutin, is heading for a landslide victory in Thailand’s parliamentary election, which would mark a historic breakthrough after its last third-place finish. It is expected to win up to 200 seats, while the country is still affected by border tensions with Cambodia.
Thailand’s ruling Bhumjaithai party of conservative Prime Minister Anutin Chanvirakul is heading for victory in Sunday’s parliamentary election. Local TV stations assume so. The party could win 200 seats in the 500-member lower house. TASR writes about it according to the AFP agency.
- Bhumjaithai Party heading for victory in Thai elections.
- They are expected to win 200 seats in parliament.
- The People’s Party is likely to win less than 100 seats.
- The Pheu Thai side is likely to finish third.
- The main topic of the election was the fighting on the Thai-Cambodian border.
The Progressive People’s Party is likely to win less than 100 seats. The Pheu Thai party of imprisoned former Prime Minister Tchaksin Shinawatra is likely to finish in third place.
Bhumjaithai at the head
A landslide victory for Bhumjaithai would be a major achievement for Prime Minister Anutin, whose party came third in the last election. He was appointed prime minister by parliament only last September after the constitutional court dismissed two of his predecessors from the Pheu Thai party.
People’s Party leader Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut has already conceded defeat. “We stand behind our principle of respecting the party that finishes first and its right to form a government,” he said.
Tensions at the borders
One of the main topics before the elections was the fighting on the border with Cambodia, which twice turned into several days of military clashes last year. Shortly after taking office, Anutin authorized the armed forces to take whatever action they saw fit on the border without first consulting the government. A fragile ceasefire has been in place since the end of December last year.
