Thailand election: likely victory ‘made in heaven’ says pro-junta party as Thaksin-linked rival cries foul
- Election commission says pro-military Palang Pracharat party leads popular vote, but delays announcement of full results until Monday
- Leaders of Pheu Thai Party linked to Thaksin Shinawatra say voting ‘irregularities’ need to be investigated
Thailand’s election commission late on Sunday said the pro-military party of junta chief Prayuth Chan-ocha was headed towards a shock popular vote victory over its arch-rival, the populist Shinawatra political bloc, but did not release full results of the parliamentary seat count in the kingdom’s long-delayed polls.
Local media complained of “unstable vote counts” from the commission, with the Khaosod English news portal reporting that in one instance, the difference in total votes between parties fluctuated by a million within minutes.
Prayuth’s Palang Pracharat Party and the Pheu Thai Party linked to exiled former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra both held press conferences late in the evening.
Pheu Thai’s secretary general Phumtham Vechayachai said “irregularities” in the polls needed to be sorted out. In the Palang Pracharat camp, the mood was far more jubilant.
Its leader Uttama Savanayana did not declare victory but suggested the election outcome appeared to be “made in heaven” for his party. He said the party – founded just last year – was ready to form the next government if official results show it is the victor.
