Campaign dust settles as Thailand prepares for roller-coaster election

Thailand will hold its first general election on Sunday since the junta ousted the elected government in a coup nearly five years ago

The election, will, at best return Thailand to a semi-democratic system no matter the results, observers say

Reading Time:4 minutes

Electoral officials prepare ballot boxes and voting documents for distribution at an office in Bangkok. Photo: AFP

Published: 9:05pm, 23 Mar 2019Updated: 12:30am, 24 Mar 2019

From Thailand’s northern Shan Hills to its southern floodplains, last-minute vote canvassing in the kingdom ceased at 6pm on Saturday as its 69 million people readied themselves for a general election that analysts believe will be nothing short of a political roller-coaster ride.

As part of “cooling-off measures” before Sunday’s vote, candidates were required to mute all forms of campaign activities.

A 24-hour nationwide alcohol ban will also be in place until an hour after polling booths close at 5pm Sunday.

Rival factions had held their last major rallies on Friday night in the capital Bangkok. King Maha Vajiralongkorn – overseeing his first general election as constitutional monarch – meanwhile issued a statement late on Saturday urging voters to pick “good people” as their elected representatives.

The country’s commentariat took the lull in electioneering to dish out hard truths on what they believe will follow the country’s sixth election in two decades.

“Sunday’s general election, will, at best return Thailand to a semi-democratic system no matter the results, even with voter euphoria expected to translate into a high turnout,” wrote Pravit Rojanaphruk, a prominent local political columnist.

That was the consensus call among observers taking into account the fact that in the last two decades, the country has gone to the polls five times, each time with the promise that a fresh mandate from the people will end the country’s political strife. Each time that did not materialise.