Thailand election: can seven-party ‘democratic front’ block path to power for junta proxies and Prayuth Chan-ocha?

Seven parties led by Pheu Thai, the party projected to have won the most seats, say the pro-junta camp should stand aside

The parties do not yet know the exact number of seats they have won as the final result can only be confirmed after the king’s coronation in May

4-MIN READ4-MIN

Leaders of seven parties opposed to military rule announce a “democratic front” in Bangkok on March 27. Photo: Reuters

Published: 11:42am, 27 Mar 2019Updated: 9:58pm, 27 Mar 2019

Seven Thai parties forming a “democratic front” opposed to military rule have secured a combined majority of the 500 seats contested in the weekend’s election and say they are ready to form a coalition despite proxies of junta chief Prayuth Chan-ocha insisting they are entitled to govern.

The pro-democrat camp’s announcement on Wednesday added a further twist to the confusion following Sunday’s voting.

Seven parties led by Pheu Thai, the party projected to have won the most seats, say the pro-junta camp should stand aside because it does not have a parliamentary majority.

Pheu Thai leader Sudarat Keyuraphan described the election as “questionable” but said the coalition would work for “the country’s benefit”.

“Parties in the democratic front gained the most trust from the people,” she said. “Although right now numbers are still moving, we’re certain we will have at least 255 seats among ourselves. We declare that the democratic front who opposes military rule commands the majority in the House.

“We are trying to fulfil the people’s expectations as best we can. We want to support the constructive political culture even though the election is difficult because the rules support the junta’s prolonging of power. There have been a lot of vote buying, intervention of state influence and the counting of the votes is abnormal. It was a questionable election.”

Sudarat also accused Pheu Thai’s opponents of trying to limit the party’s influence and reduce its number of seats by bringing complaints to the Election Commission (EC) before the final tallies are announced.