Explained | Does the 2023 Thailand election result mark the start of a new era? Who will form the government?
The HinduThe story so far: It has been over two weeks since Thailand’s progressive Move Forward Party and populist Pheu Thai Party claimed victory in an election that gave a thumbs-down to military-backed parties which ruled on and off for a decade. MFP’s main ally Pheu Thai, the populist party led by the billionaire family of the self-exiled former Premier Thaksin Shinawatra, emerged as the second biggest with 141 seats. Mr. Prayuth’s previous party, the Palang Pracharat, the biggest in the incumbent ruling coalition, also bagged just 40 seats under current leader and Mr. Prayuth’s deputy and military mentor Prawit Wongsuwan, 77. In 2001, Thailand had its first elected government which completed a four-year term, under policeman-turned-telecoms giant Mr. Thaksin, who rode a populist wave to victory with his Thai Rak Thai party.