News Forum - Thailand’s opposition wins stunning election victory

[Thaiger]

Thailand’s opposition celebrated a significant election victory on Sunday after defeating military-allied parties, potentially marking the end of nearly a decade of conservative, army-backed rule. However, despite the liberal Move Forward party and the populist Pheu Thai Party leading with 99% of votes accounted for, it remains uncertain if either will form the next government. …

The story Thailand’s opposition wins stunning election victory as seen on Thaiger News.

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[Vigo]

Stunning only to those who were self deluded. The 3  parties who are at the bottom of the results had all the advantages of incumbents. They should take the time for some self reflection. The military won't go away and I am sure that the PTP will give the junta a reason to  seize power again.

[Ramanathan.P]

Whichever party wins the election, Anutin is the trump card holder now....

[Noble_Design]

Congrats! And coincidentally (or not) all the top 3 party leaders are Sino-Thais

[Augratin]

This could be a breath of fresh air. Does anyone have a profile on this Move Forward party? In particular their feelings about foreigners and immigration.

 

[TheDirtyDurian]

A pretty damming indication of the army's popularity. 

Let's all hope for stability and prosperity moving forward. 

Perhaps Thailand can come into the 20th century now. 

[Augratin]

Update: I found this.  They do have some lofty goals.

https://election66.moveforwardparty.org/policy

 

Edited May 15, 2023 by Augratin

[HolyCowCm]

250 regime military senators having free seats put in by the regime is the crooked dishonest Ace in their hand. If Anutin goes with the regime then MFP anbd PT are finished, same as PT won the election last time but eneded up being the loser to P-nut and his cronies. It means zero of anything unless BJT sides with the good guys, the opposition. I think someone may want to be PM in his negotiations to side with them, but that is zero fat chance, so at least one would think he can keep his spot as Mr. Medical.

[HiuMak]

Looks like Thais want change.

[TheDirtyDurian]

2 hours ago, HolyCowCm said:

250 regime military senators having free seats put in by the regime is the crooked dishonest Ace in their hand. If Anutin goes with the regime then MFP anbd PT are finished, same as PT won the election last time but eneded up being the loser to P-nut and his cronies. It means zero of anything unless BJT sides with the good guys, the opposition. I think someone may want to be PM in his negotiations to side with them, but that is zero fat chance, so at least one would think he can keep his spot as Mr. Medical.

Possible massive unrest ahead if those 250 appointed ones block what is obviously the "will of the people."

It would be nice to think that the army would accept that the game is up.

[Khunmark]

Good result, the people have spoken. A lot of water to go under the bridge however. If it all goes pear shaped  they may get a better crack at it next time around when the current senate dissolves. One thing that must surely be on the agenda, is a move to a preferential voting system.

[Khunmark]

4 hours ago, Augratin said:

This could be a breath of fresh air. Does anyone have a profile on this Move Forward party? In particular their feelings about foreigners and immigration.

Without knowing his policies on immigration, he spent some of his formative years in New Zealand and studied political science in the US. So he’s across western thinking. More importantly he’s young as are most of his acolytes. At minimum, his appointment should it materialise, May usher in a more streamlined approach to administrative processes. And for those of us dealing with immigration on a regular basis, that’s a good thing.

[Marc26]

2 hours ago, TheDirtyDurian said:

Possible massive unrest ahead if those 250 appointed ones block what is obviously the "will of the people."

It would be nice to think that the army would accept that the game is up.

Yes I think they realize Thailand has shifted and that there would be massive unrest if they did so

 

I think the old guard is resigned to the fact 

 

I've never seen my wife care one bit about politics and elections 

 

She knew all the parties' policies and  was glued to her phone yesterday

 

The young people have spoken

[ChrisS]

"The young people have spoken"

The people have 'spoken' several times before and on each occasion the army has trumped up an excuse for a coup, let us not also forget the 250 'appointed' seats who will no doubt try their best to stop any party but those favoured by them from achieving anything. Anyone running a book on the date of the next coup?

[Marc26]

24 minutes ago, ChrisS said:

"The young people have spoken"

The people have 'spoken' several times before and on each occasion the army has trumped up an excuse for a coup, let us not also forget the 250 'appointed' seats who will no doubt try their best to stop any party but those favoured by them from achieving anything. Anyone running a book on the date of the next coup?

I don't know this time, feels different

I have never seen so many Thais as engaged as this time

 

As @HolyCowCm said and I agree, I think there would be major unrest if they tried to pull anything

 

 

[HolyCowCm]

3 hours ago, TheDirtyDurian said:

Possible massive unrest ahead if those 250 appointed ones block what is obviously the "will of the people."

It would be nice to think that the army would accept that the game is up.

Hard to tell. Let’s see how the regime wants it to unfold. Anutin is the key, and it depends on how he is as a real person and how hard his nipples are twisted that directly would affect him and his platinum spoon life. I would love to write more on this but it is probably not in my best interest to do so. 

[TheDirtyDurian]

5 hours ago, HolyCowCm said:

Hard to tell. Let’s see how the regime wants it to unfold. Anutin is the key, and it depends on how he is as a real person and how hard his nipples are twisted that directly would affect him and his platinum spoon life. I would love to write more on this but it is probably not in my best interest to do so. 

The good old days of the watermelons...

Edited May 15, 2023 by Faz
edited quote as requested by HCCM.

[HolyCowCm]

1 hour ago, Marc26 said:

I don't know this time, feels different

I have never seen so many Thais as engaged as this time

As @HolyCowCm said and I agree, I think there would be major unrest if they tried to pull anything

The boiling point and hatred is certainly there for the enough is enough generation. All my family in bkk and cm and most all their friends love orange. Can only be proud of them all for uniting.

I’m mad as hell and I am not going to take this anymore generation.

[samiam123]

I like Anutin because he is very pro Pot.  That is the only issue in this election that I care about and that may affect me directly.

Edited May 15, 2023 by samiam123

[samiam123]

2 hours ago, ChrisS said:

"The young people have spoken"

The people have 'spoken' several times before and on each occasion the army has trumped up an excuse for a coup, let us not also forget the 250 'appointed' seats who will no doubt try their best to stop any party but those favoured by them from achieving anything. Anyone running a book on the date of the next coup?

I think that was mostly because of Thaksin and his sister.  As long as that family and anyone associated with them are not in power then the military will probably not step in again.

Edited May 15, 2023 by samiam123

[HolyCowCm]

15 minutes ago, samiam123 said:

I like Anutin because he is very pro Pot.  That is the only issue in this election that I care about and that may affect me directly.

MFP has no desire or nothing ever stated on the marijuana thing to criminalize it again. PT slightly touched negatively in on it, and Anutin tripped over his tongue back peddling too many times recently. I too want it to stay.  I thing wrong with it. 

[HolyCowCm]

Let’s see what happens. Anutin is out of any chance now to join in the coalition and stuck for what to do now with his bed bug fellows. MFP announced they do not want anything to do with the last bunch of cronies to be in their coalition. Now the 250 senators have the ball in their stinky smelly seat and vote to break MFP’s Pita as PM. High stakes game Pita and MFP are playing. But that is visa versa for the regime as maybe they don’t really want to find out how much they are truly despised by the good Thai people and then wish they were in exile. 

[TWS60]

3 hours ago, Khunmark said:

Without knowing his policies on immigration, he spent some of his formative years in New Zealand and studied political science in the US. So he’s across western thinking. More importantly he’s young as are most of his acolytes. At minimum, his appointment should it materialise, May usher in a more streamlined approach to administrative processes. And for those of us dealing with immigration on a regular basis, that’s a good thing.

Not to put the cart too far forward of the horse....agreed with plausible optimism. 

Immigration has been tip toeing toward leveraging tech to streamline things in recent years, drip, drip, drip, via Windows XP (LOL). 

I've long felt (one of) the factors holding back a step toward more efficiency for us long-stay/stable farangs who tick all the compliance boxes year after year, are the dinosaurs still in charge at the top.  Not at dig at older folks, I'm getting there myself, but this is a common, generational dynamic, nothing new.

Just 10-odd years ago after exiting the work force, often sat observing I/Os working from the cheap seats waiting for my queue number to be called (although the ticket machine was most often OOC), providing redundant Xerox copy forms with (mostly) same-same info they have in the system already, ink stamps of various colors and sizes and alas, the 37-page request packet is chiseled into the official, oversize hard bound scroll from the days of Noah, and sent to Bangkok by carrier pigeon for review and presumed approval. 

When they are done, I/O takes a break for lunch ordered previously on the GRAB App, take/send a Selfie to a  friend on the other side of the planet via Messenger (or whatever), transfer money via bank App in under a minute to buy a gadget from China on Lazada, all with a few flicks of their opposing thumbs.

The contrast between Immigration processes and the real world, is excruciating. 

 

[Marc26]

5 hours ago, Khunmark said:

Without knowing his policies on immigration, he spent some of his formative years in New Zealand and studied political science in the US. So he’s across western thinking. More importantly he’s young as are most of his acolytes. At minimum, his appointment should it materialise, May usher in a more streamlined approach to administrative processes. And for those of us dealing with immigration on a regular basis, that’s a good thing.

He spent a few years in Boston so that would shape any man into a remarkable upstanding gentleman

 

 

I am from Boston   :)

 

 

He also graduated from Thammasat, my stepson's school............so maybe my stepson can one day be PM

 

We'd take him not driving my wife bonkers with his laziness 5555

 

 

[Guphz]

9 hours ago, Augratin said:

Update: I found this.  They do have some lofty goals.

https://election66.moveforwardparty.org/policy

Is there an overview in English?