Thais go to polls in first general election since 2014 coupBy The Manila Timeshome/News/Latest Stories/Today's Breaking News/Thais go to polls in first general election since 2014 coupBANGKOK: Polls opened Sunday for the first Thai election since a 2014 coup, with a high turnout expected among a public who received a cryptic last-minute warning from the Thai king to support “good” leaders to prevent “chaos.”All television stations repeated the rare statement by King Maha Vajiralongkorn moments before polls opened across the politically turbulent country. His affiliated parties have won every Thai election since 2001, drawing on huge loyalty from rural and urban poor. Prayut toppled the civilian government of Thaksin’s younger sister Yingluck in 2014, the twelfth coup in under a century. This time the ruling junta has written new election rules aimed at curbing the number of seats big parties — specifically the Shinawatras’ main election vehicle Pheu Thai — can win. A 250-member junta-appointed senate and a new proportional system were meant to have manoeuvered Prayut and the junta party — Phalang Pracharat — into pole position.

Source: Manila Times March 24, 2019 05:03 UTC