Thai Voters Head To Polls To Elect New Parliament

BANGKOK, Feb 8 (Bernama) -- Thais head to polling stations nationwide on Sunday to elect 500 members of the House of Representatives and vote in a referendum to gauge public support for the drafting of a new constitution.

The election is Thailand’s 28th since the adoption of a constitutional monarchy in 1932, reflecting 94 years of parliamentary democracy.

Polling stations across the country opened at 8.00 am and will close at 5.00 pm local time. An estimated 52.9 million Thais are eligible to cast their ballots nationwide.

Of the 500 House seats at stake, 400 are elected in single-member constituencies under a first-past-the-post system, while the remaining 100 are allocated to parties on a proportional basis.

Voters will be issued three ballot papers — a green ballot for the constituency member of parliament (MP), a pink ballot for the party-list MP, and a yellow ballot for the constitutional referendum.

Following advance voting last Sunday, the Election Commission said voter turnout is expected to be robust particularly in Bangkok, where about 87 per cent of registered advance voters reportedly cast their ballots.

With a population of about 5.4 million, Bangkok has the largest number of constituencies with 33, followed by Nakhon Ratchasima Nakhon Ratchasima with 16 seats. 

A total of 57 political parties are contesting the election, fielding 5,096 candidates nationwide, while 93 individuals from 43 parties have been nominated as prime minister candidates.

This snap election was called after Anutin Charnvirakul, the country’s third prime minister since the 2023 election, dissolved the lower house of Parliament on Dec 12 last year amid a looming no-confidence vote.

Observers said the contest is shaping up to become a three-way fight between Anutin’s Bhumjaithai Party, the progressive opposition led by the People’s Party, and the Pheu Thai Party linked to former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

According to the Thai Meteorological Department, weather conditions this morning are expected to be fair, with temperatures in central Thailand ranging between 24 and 35 degrees Celsius throughout the day.

-- BERNAMA