Organizer: Sydney Southeast Asia Center, Nordic Insitute of Asian Studies, and NYSEAN
Type/Location: Virtual
Description:
The 2023 general election in Thailand produced unexpected results and changing political landscape. The progressive, anti-establishment Future Forward Party led by Pita Limjaroenrat surprisingly won the elections with 151 MP seats (out of 500) and 14 million party list votes. After only 5 years since the founding, the party becomes the largest party in the country both in term of seats and popular votes. The stunning victory of the party reflected the significant social changes and new political consciousness in Thailand. On the other hands, this general election has revealed the weakness and instability of the competitive authoritarian regime in Thailand. The two pro-military parties, the United Thai Nation (UTN) led by General Prayuth Chan-o-cha and Palang Pracharat (PPRP) headed by general Prawit Wongsuwan failed to win hearts and minds of Thai electorate. The ruling party PPRP won only 40 seats. The ultra-royalist UTN, shortly found prior to this election, gained only 36 House seats, mainly in the southern region, making them the small-sized party with no national standing. The electoral defeat of both parties inhibits the chances of former coup leaders to return to power and sustain their autocratic regime. However, with the undemocratic structure and mechanisms embedded in the current constitution, the Future Forward and Pita were unable to form the government. The controversial coalition between the pro-military parties and Pheu Thai, a party backed by former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, was established with the elite backing. This shifting political alliance between former political rivals demonstrates a new fundamental political cleavage in Thailand.
Speaker:
Prajak Kongkirati is an associate professor in the Department of Government, Faculty of Political Science, Thammasat University. Prajak gained his PhD from ANU, and has published widely on the politics of Thailand, especially on electoral politics and political violence.
Registration:
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