Thai electorates have delivered a surprise judgment in favor of an opposition party seeking for major institutional reform in the country. According to preliminary data, Move Forward has won 151 of the 500 seats in the lower house, exceeding all expectation.
It is now 10 seats ahead of the previous projected winner, Pheu Thai, led by Paetongtarn Shinawatra. Analysts described this as a political tsunami, indicating an important shift in popular opinion. Also, it is also a clear rejection of the present administration’s two military-aligned parties, as well as Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, who led a coup that deposed an elected government in 2014. The ruling alliance garnered barely 15% of the vote.
“The majority of votes reflect the need to escape from the ‘Prayuth regime, and the yearning for change,” Prajak Kongkirati, a political scientist from Thammasat University, averred. “It shows that people believe in the Move Forward demand for change than many more people predicted,” Prajak explained.
Thai social media has already been flooded with celebratory messages from Move Forward admirers, who call themselves “organic canvassers” and hail the party’s triumph as a “wind of change” and the “dawn of a new era.”
“This election really tells you that only four years have passed, but the people’s thinking has changed a lot, both the establishment and the pro-democracy camps,” also, “democracy cannot be taken for granted.” “If they don’t adapt to the thinking and the demands, they can really lose their ground.” These are some messages spread across social media pages.
The 42-year-old Move Forward leader, Pita Limjaroenrat, stated that he was “ready” to ascend the position as the country’s next prime minister. “We have the same dreams and hopes, and together we believe that our beloved Thailand, can be better, and changes are possible if we start working on them today,” Pita posted this message on his social media page.
However, it was never imagined that Move Forward, a party that campaigned on the premises of fundamental reforms to Thailand’s political system, economy, military role, and even legislation guarding the Monarchy, could secure more seats and votes than any of its opponents.
Issues that fueled a months-long student-organized protests three years ago, are the same issues that has constituted a major shift in Thais political space. Some of Move Forward’s contenders had previously served as the movement leaders. However, as with the 2020 demonstrations, the young and enthusiastic voters, many of whom were Move Forward Party supporters, played an important part in this election outcome.
Moreover, the Move Forward aspirants had lesser resources than other opponents and had to depend on social media and outdated devices, like bicycles, to campaign to people. It helped their campaign to appeared simple and clearer, than that of other parties.
Forming A Coalition Government
Move Forward has ruled out forming a coalition government with parties linked to the 2014 military coup. Also forming a coalition with its opponent Pheu Thai, hasn’t been made clear. The party was also new and daring, and it was known in the previous legislature, for taking principled and firm stances.
The Move Forward Party also profited from what seems to be an insatiable desire for change among the general people. Though, voters under the age of 26, constituted a small bloc in the aging Thailand population, accounting for only 14% of the 52-million eligible voters, the Move Forward Party fought hard to convince the elderly to vote for them, in order to provide a better future for their generation.
The primary issue is whether the two reformist parties, would form a government despite the mandate for change. The 250 senators, all chosen by the military regime, led by incumbent Prime Minister Prayuth, are permitted to vote in parliament, for the forthcoming government.
Even though the two parties control approximately 60% of the seats in the lower house, the government appointed senate, have the potential to block a Move Forward-Pheu Thai coalition. On the other hand, if a Move Forward-Pheu Thai coalition includes the third force party, Bhum Jai Thai, with 70 seats won, and a few others, they could be able to outnumber the Senate.
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