Coalition emerges from the ballot box in Thailand – Bloomberg HT
MFP leader Pita Limjaroenrat said in a statement that a new coalition government consisting of 308 representatives was formed; stated that this will be led by the MFP and PTP.
Limjaroenrat noted that he had consulted with PTP leader Paetongtarn Shinawatra, and that apart from their own parties, other smaller parties Palang Prachachat Party, Thai Sang Thai Party and Liberal Thai Party would also take part in the coalition.
To become prime minister in Thailand, a candidate must win 376 in a joint session of the 500-seat House of Representatives and the 250-member Senate. If there is no disagreement between the parties, the new prime minister is expected to be MFP leader Pita Limjaroenrat.
After the elections in Thailand, where there are 52 million voters, the turnout rate of 75%, MFP leading the coalition has 115 representatives and PTP has 111 representatives. The remaining seats in the coalition consisting of 308 representatives are shared by the other 3 parties.
Thailand general election
In the country with a population of more than 66 million, 52 million voters went to the polls in 400 constituencies.
400 members of the 500-member House of Representatives are determined by majority vote in each constituency, and the other 100 members are determined by separate ballot. The 250-member Senate and 500-member House of Representatives, consisting of soldiers appointed by the junta, will elect the prime minister in a joint session.
Former Prime Minister of Thailand, Taksin Shinavatra, was dismissed in a military coup in 2006, accused of corruption and contempt of the king.
Taksin Shinavatra’s brother, Yinglak Shinavatra, came to power with elections in 2011, but the Thai army seized power again on May 22, 2014, after the uprising of those who accused Yinglak of being a “brother’s puppet” and demanded his resignation could not be suppressed.
Prayut, who was the Commander of the Royal Thai Army at the time, became the prime minister of the military government that ruled the country from 2014-2019. Prayut entered the elections held in March 2019 as the candidate of the junta-supported Palang Pracharath (People’s State Power) Party, and was reinstated as the prime minister after the elections, with the joint vote of the House of Representatives, which is composed of elected deputies, and the Senate, which consists of soldiers appointed by the junta.
Taksin Shinavatra’s youngest daughter, Paetongtarn Shinavatra, served in Pheu Thai, the largest opposition party founded by her father’s supporters in October 2021.
Paetongtarn, one of the top candidates for the prime ministership along with Pita Limjaroenrat, will become the fourth member of the Shinavatra family to hold the post of prime minister if elected.
