Thailand Election News
Keep up with the latest developments in Thailand’s political landscape with The Thaiger’s Elections News Page. Our comprehensive coverage includes real-time updates on election campaigns, candidate profiles, and analysis of policy proposals and election outcomes. Stay engaged and informed on regional and national elections by turning to our Elections News Page for accurate and up-to-date news on the ever-evolving political scene.
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The Great American Smokeout, held this year on November 17, is a nationwide event that encourages smokers to take their first steps towards a smoke-free life. If you’re an expat in Thailand, this day could be a timely reminder to...
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Thai opposition in disarray as Move Forward Party rejects leadership role
Chaos has engulfed the Democrat Party, as the top opposition role remains unclear. This comes after the Move Forward Party (MFP), the largest opposing party, expressed disinterest in the role, likely to keep their Deputy House Speaker seat. The Democrat Party spokesperson, Ramet Rattanachaweng, stated that technically, the right to assume the opposition leader role falls to Pita Limjaroenrat, the…
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Digital wallet pioneering: Prime Minister’s blueprint for national advancement
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin revealed his readiness to manage the country’s development and drive full-fledged policies. The concept of a digital wallet is at the top of his agenda. PM Srettha emphasised that the current coalition government, comprising various political parties, needs to respect each other’s policies. The formation of the Cabinet is still in progress, with negotiations and discussions…
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Pheu Thai Party solidifies coalition agreement with PPRP and UTN
In a significant political development, the Pheu Thai Party has successfully solidified a coalition agreement with the Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) and the United Thai Nation (UTN) Party. According to a reliable source, this pact involves a reciprocal arrangement where both the PPRP and UTN have committed to supporting Srettha Thavisin, a prominent figure within Pheu Thai, and the anticipated…
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Thai democracy at risk following Pheu Thai’s exclusion of MFP in coalition
A collective of democratic organisations has appealed to the Pheu Thai Party to reconsider its choice to exclude the Move Forward Party (MFP) from a coalition government, declaring the move as a setback for Thai democracy. Yesterday, a joint statement from 32 unit network cautioned that sidelining of MFP, the party with the most parliamentary seats following the May 14…
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Pheu Thai party prepares for coalition meeting
In the latest political development, the Pheu Thai Party, one of the primary political entities in Thailand, plans a strategic meeting with its seven coalition partners next week. The primary focus of this meeting is to mull over the future direction of the eight-party coalition. Following this, they intend to update other parties outside of the bloc and opposition members.…
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Thai PM fears MFP rallies might trigger political faction conflict
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha is facing growing apprehensions regarding the rallies being held by supporters of the Move Forward Party (MFP) as Thailand’s politics are tumultuous as always. According to information relayed by Prime Minister’s Office Minister Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana, the Prime Minister’s concern stems from fears that these rallies could rekindle conflict among varied political factions in the country. On…
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Prayut’s political career uncertain as United Thai Nation suffers election losses
Bangkok’s Deputy leader of the United Thai Nation, Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana, expressed doubt yesterday over whether Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha will continue his political career after their party’s losses in the General Election. Wangboonkongchana mentioned that 69 year old Prayut has not discussed his future plans, but he may have to step down from politics. The preliminary results from Thailand’s Election…
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Thailand opposition faces hurdles despite election win
The formation of a new government in Thailand faces significant challenges following the opposition’s victory in the May 14 General Election. The 500 newly-elected Members of Parliament (MPs) are required to vote for a new prime minister alongside 250 senators appointed by military generals who staged the coup, according to Professor Duncan McCargo, director of the Nordic Institute of Asian…
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MFP wins all Phuket seats in General Election
In yesterday’s General Election, the Move Forward Party (MFP) claimed victory in all three constituencies in Phuket, according to unofficial results declared early today. In Constituency 1, which covers Phuket Town, Koh Kaew, and Ratsada, Somchart Techathavorncharoen from the MFP emerged as the unofficial winner. On the ballot, Somchart was assigned the number two and received 18,604 votes. He expressed…
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Vote-buying incidents highest in Bangkok during General Elections, says EC
The Election Commission (EC) reported that the majority of vote-buying incidents during yesterday’s elections took place in Bangkok, which boasts the highest number of constituencies among all provinces. Despite this, the EC noted that the overall number of poll-related violations was lower than in previous elections. EC secretary-general Sawaeng Boonmee disclosed that the commission received 163 complaints yesterday, with 58…
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Arson attacks hit multiple locations in Thailand’s southern provinces
Arson attacks struck 23 locations in Thailand‘s southernmost provinces late last night, causing damage to mobile phone antenna towers, and power poles, and resulting in the burning of tyres. The attacks took place between 9pm and 11pm, with officials providing updates on the situation on Friday. The affected areas spanned across three provinces: Yala, Pattani, and Narathiwat. In Yala, seven…
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Election Commission to reveal unofficial results by 11pm on Sunday
The Election Commission (EC) anticipates that unofficial General Election results will be available by 11pm on Sunday. Results from ballot counts at polling stations across the nation will be compiled, verified, and subsequently published via the EC’s internet-based system called ECT Report starting at 7pm. The unofficial results will be published on a designated website, which can accommodate up to…
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Election commission provides Braille campaign guide for visually impaired voters
The Election Commission of Thailand has recently launched a Braille guidebook to assist visually impaired citizens in voting for the upcoming general election. This initiative, carried out by the Office of the Promotion of Citizenship, is designed to ensure that visually impaired individuals are well-informed about the election process and can exercise their democratic rights on Sunday, May 14. The…
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Electoral fraud: Man alleges he was tricked into filming controversial video
A man accused of manipulating electoral registration in a controversial video on the “Chuwit” Facebook page has filed a police report, alleging he was deceived into participating and was paid only 1,000 baht despite the agreed sum of 5,000 baht. He also revealed that someone wrote a script for him to recite in the footage. Recently, the video of a…
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Huge turnout for advance voting as election nears
Yesterday, advance voting saw a large turnout across the nation, with citizens keen to exercise their democratic rights following a four-year wait. The Election Commission (EC) reported that 2,235,830 individuals registered for early voting yesterday, ahead of the May 14 election. Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt stated that the process went smoothly, with only a few minor issues emerging at polling…
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Thailand accelerates shift to renewables amid global energy crisis fallout
The global energy crisis has prompted Thailand to accelerate its transition to renewable energy after years of hesitation, joining other countries in adopting wind and solar power to reduce dependency on imported fuels. Thailand’s reconsideration of its renewable energy strategy came after a surge in natural gas prices last year caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, according to Wattanapong Kurovat,…
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MFP’s popularity rising as election looms, new poll reveals
The Move Forward Party (MFP) is gaining momentum as Thailand’s General Election approaches, according to a recent pre-election poll conducted by the National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA). While the Pheu Thai Party continues to lead in terms of constituency and party-list Members of Parliament (MPs), the MFP is rapidly gaining popularity. NIDA’s third pre-election poll was released on Wednesday,…
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Thai youth vote for reform despite political hurdles
Three years ago, 24 year old Panusaya Sithijirawattanakul was at the forefront of a democracy movement in Thailand as thousands of young protesters clashed with police firing tear gas and rubber bullets on the streets of Bangkok. The movement shook the kingdom with its calls for reform and unprecedented demands to curb the power of King Maha Vajiralongkorn but gradually…
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Prayut Chan-o-cha not keen on minority government post-election
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha affirmed his preference for a majority government in the upcoming May 14 election, despite the constitution permitting the formation of a minority government. In an exclusive interview, the 67 year old, who is also the United Thai Nation (UTN) Party’s chief strategist and top prime ministerial candidate, explained that the formation of the next government would…
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TDRI warns political parties of excessive campaign spending and economic risk
The Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI) has issued a warning to major political parties that their primary election campaign projects might be unnecessary as an economic stimulus, given that the country is not currently experiencing a recession. Yesterday, TDRI published a report intended to study and analyse the budget management of political parties, offering recommendations for adapting their future strategies.…
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Thaksin’s tweet about grandchild seen as political gambit
Academics speculate that a recent tweet by fugitive former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was a political ploy to garner support for the Pheu Thai Party, as pollsters predict it may lose votes to the increasingly popular Move Forward Party (MFP) before the General Election scheduled for May 14. Yesterday, Thaksin tweeted that he would return to Thailand now that his…
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Protesters demand daily minimum wage increase, support for laid-off workers in Thailand
Labour advocates and human rights activists gathered at Government House yesterday, demanding that the government increase the daily minimum wage to 700 baht and establish a fund to support workers who have been laid off. The protesters, led by political activists Somyot Prueksakasemsuk and Thanaporn Wichian, 28 years old, marched to Phitsanulok Mansion and Government House to present their proposals…
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Thai Sang Thai Party leader promises to resolve political divisions
Sudarat Keyuraphan, the leader of the Thai Sang Thai (TST) Party, addressed voters in Chiang Rai yesterday, stating that her party is the ideal choice to resolve deeply rooted political divisions. Speaking to an audience of around 3,000 people in the northeastern province, she explained that these rifts have held the nation back for over 17 years and hindered national…
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Labour Day celebrations amidst scepticism over political promises
As Labour Day is celebrated in the country today, activists have voiced scepticism over political parties’ campaign promises to increase minimum daily wages to seemingly unrealistic levels. For example, the Pheu Thai Party has vowed to raise the minimum wage to a flat rate of 600 baht, while the Move Forward Party has pledged to increase it to 450 baht…
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Chatu Mongol Sonakul to lead new Thai Chana Party into historic election
The Thai Chana Party was officially launched yesterday, with Chatu Mongol Sonakul being nominated as its sole prime ministerial candidate. Party leader Jakkraphong Chuenduang, joined by other members, conducted a shrine installation ceremony at the party’s new operations centre on Pradiphat Road. After the ceremony, campaign vehicles were dispatched to traverse Bangkok. Established in 2021, the party plans to field…
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EC addresses rumours of incomplete voter information documents in Thailand
The Election Commission of Thailand (EC) issued a statement today to clarify the wave of online news claiming that some electoral registration documents with details of certain candidates had been printed with errors, labelling it as fake news. The EC said… “The Election Commission office confirms that the aforementioned news is not a factual error.” Additionally, the EC pointed out…
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Over 800,000 Bangkok residents register for early voting in May 14 General Election
Some 800,000 citizens in Bangkok have registered to cast their ballots ahead of the May 14 General Election, as they intend to engage in early voting on May 7. Among the 2.35 million voters nationwide who have registered for advance voting, numerous are located in Thailand’s capital city, with 74 polling stations available. The largest number of early voters registered…
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Democrat Party plan to transform Hat Yai into major economic hub
The Democrat Party in Thailand recently revealed its intentions to rejuvenate its previous plan to turn the commercial district of Hat Yai, located in Songkhla province, into a significant economic centre. This attempt aims to attract more investors to the area. Democrat Party officials mentioned that they are considering the enactment of a special law that would promote the growth…
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Palang Pracharath Party urges Chiang Mai voters to choose change in general election
The Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) has recently urged voters in Chiang Mai to vote for change in the upcoming general election. The party’s leader has advocated for a national reconciliation plan which, he claims, would lead to prosperity and sustainability for the country. Capt. Thamanat Prompow, head of the PPRP’s election strategy panel for the North, addressed a large crowd…
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Overseas voting dates set for Thai election: Apr 25-May 5
Ahead of the Thai General Election set for May 14, eligible Thai voters who reside overseas will have the opportunity to cast their votes between April 25 and May 5. The specific date within this period on which Thais can vote will be determined by the Thai embassy and consulate in each respective country, according to Sawaeng Boonmee, secretary-general for…
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