BANGKOK (AP) — Unofficial results released by the National Election Commission showed Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul’s Bhumjaithai Party expected to win the most seats in Thailand’s general election, according to results from about 94% of polling stations on Monday.
This is the first decisive victory for Thailand’s conservative party in many years. Sunday’s election comes against a backdrop of slow economic growth and rising nationalist sentiment. Voter turnout was about 65%, significantly lower than in the 2023 election.
Running statistics shown on the committee’s website show that Bhumjaithai won about 193 seats in the 500-member House of Representatives.
The House of Representatives consists of 400 members directly elected on a constituency basis, with a further 100 members chosen from “party list” nominees who receive seats based on the proportion of votes each party holds in a separate ballot indicating party preference.
The body needs a simple majority of 251 seats to elect a prime minister. The figures suggest that Bhumjaitai will have to find a partner or two to form a coalition government, with Anutin returning as its leader.
The Progressive People’s Party, which was expected to win the most seats, is currently in second place with 118 seats. It swept all constituencies in Bangkok and most constituencies in provinces adjacent to the capital. The party also leads in the party-list total, garnering about 3.8 million more votes than Bhumjaithai in party-list votes.
Pheu Thai, the populist party representing former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s political machine, trailed with 74 seats. It was seen as a disappointing result for a political force that often dominates Thailand’s elections.
It is widely believed that Pheu Thai will accept joining a coalition government led by Boumjithai if asked.
Anutin has been prime minister since September last year and previously served in the cabinet of his predecessor, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who was forced to step down over ethical violations in his handling of relations with Cambodia. Anutin dissolved parliament in December and called new elections after being threatened with a vote of no confidence.
A subsequent border conflict with Cambodia allowed Anutin to reinvent himself as a wartime leader after his approval ratings initially sank due to floods and financial scandals. His campaign focused on national security and economic stimulus.
Napon Jatusripitak, director of the Center for Future Politics and Geopolitics, a think tank in Bangkok, said that while the results differed from previous polls, Boumjaytai’s victory was not surprising.
In addition to the nationalist push generated by border conflicts, Bhumjaithai has tapped into traditional patronage networks outside of Bangkok and major urban areas, Napong said. He said the party strategically positioned itself as a natural home for well-connected local politicians and worked with provincial allies to avoid splitting the vote.
“The results may resolve a recurring dilemma in Thai politics, in which conservative interest groups repeatedly intervene to constrain democratic politics after a failed vote. However, it remains to be seen whether this configuration can lead to real stability,” he added.
Sunday’s vote includes a referendum asking voters whether Thailand should replace its 2017 military-drafted constitution.
The vote was not on the proposed draft but on whether to authorize Parliament to begin a formal drafting process, which would require a number of further steps to come to fruition. About 60% voted in favor, giving clear authority to start working on a new draft.
