Bangkok: The pro-regime Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP), who fielded military junta leader Prayut Chan-o-cha as its Prime Ministerial candidate, is poised to win the 2019 general elections here as of Sunday night, as per unofficial results from the Election Commission.
Around 92 per cent of the votes had been counted by Sunday night, in which the PPRP led with 7.5 million votes, followed by Pheu Thai with 7 million votes, reports Bangkok Post.
Furthermore, the Future Forward party amassed 5.2 million votes, the Democrat party got 3.19 million votes and the Bhumjaithai party received 3.17 million votes on Sunday’s elections.
Voter turnout for the Thai House of Representatives elections stood at 65.96 per cent, while about 52 million people were registered to vote for Sunday’s elections. Out of them, seven million people were first-time voters.
Many analysts speculate that Prayut will be able to stake enough votes to continue as the Prime Minister. He came into power after leading a coup against Pheu Thai Party’s government – led by Yingluck Shinawatra – in 2014, following which a new constitution was written by the military junta.
Meanwhile, Shinawatra’s Pheu Thai Party that draws support from the rural poor, has won every election since 2001, however, only to be unseated by coups, according to the South China Morning Post.
Thai King Maha Vajiralongkorn, who took the throne in 2016, on Saturday issued a statement urging the people to choose “good people” and to maintain “peace and order” before the elections.
There are 500 parliamentary seats – 350 constituency wards and 150 party list seats – for which elections were held on Sunday after numerous delays.
In February, the Thai Election Commission disqualified Princess Ubolratana Rajakanya from running for the post of the Prime Minister after King Vajiralongkorn publicly voiced his disapproval for the Princess’ foray, while labelling the move as “inappropriate.”
Upon the orders of the King, the Thai Raksa Chart party, which gave the ticket to the Princess, was dissolved, amid rumours of another coup.
[source_without_link]ANI[/source_without_link]