Thailand election: rude shock for Thaksin-linked party as vote count points to solid victory for pro-military rivals

Exiled former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra in Hong Kong urges supporters to maintain ‘hope’ but does not mention prospect of defeat

Strong showing for Future Forward, while Democrats’ support collapses and regional Bhumjaithai party emerges as kingmaker

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Supporters of the Palang Pracharat party hold a poster of Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha. Photo: AP

Published: 12:46pm, 25 Mar 2019Updated: 8:13am, 26 Mar 2019

The Shinawatra political bloc that prevailed in Thailand’s past five elections woke on Monday to the unfamiliar prospect of life on parliament’s opposition benches as results from Sunday’s election showed its pro-military rivals headed for victory.

The bloc’s architect, self-exiled former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, from Hong Kong urged supporters to have “hope” but did not mention the prospect of defeat.

His bloc has for two decades channelled populist support from Thailand’s rural provinces in an ongoing power struggle against pro-military forces that loathe him and his sister, Yingluck. Both were driven from power by coups.

“Get past obstacles with intelligence and play by the rules, and we will succeed. My thoughts are with all Thais,” Thaksin said during a regular weekly podcast aired on Monday mornings.

The Pheu Thai party, aligned with the Shinawatras, sought to wrest power from junta chief Prayuth Chan-ocha – who is vying to become the democratically elected prime minister – with a resounding victory over the military-aligned Palang Pracharat Party. With 93 per cent of votes counted, that outcome appears unlikely.

A Bangkok Post tally showed Pheu Thai winning 130 constituency seats compared to Palang Pracharat’s 120. But a tally of the popular vote showed the pro-military party – formed just last year by Prayuth’s allies – in the lead, with 7.1 million votes compared to Pheu Thai’s 6.9 million.

The legislative voting path for the Thai prime minister