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Thailand votes - 17th May 2023

On 14th May, Thailand voted the United Thai Nation Party out of power. The military supported government took power by force 10 years ago. But they've lost popularity. Younger voters want change. Most of them voted for the Move Forward Party (MFP) because they'd like a democratic government. The leader of the MFP, Pita Limjaroenrat hoped that all 57 million voters would go to the polls.

Pita Limjaroenrat: "It's not about, you know, the polls and the numbers, but it's really about the turnout of the people. I think if, if I'm hopeful, the only KPI that would determine how hopeful I am, is at the end of the day, the voting turnout. I think that will be a quite strong driver in terms of success of this election and also my party."

Thailand recorded the highest number of voters at this election. 99 percent of the votes have been counted and announced. So far, the MFP has beaten all the military supported parties.

Pita Limjaroenrat: "At least we'll be passing the objective or the goal of the campaign. We have started with the objective of campaign to have more than three digits of, of new MPs, I think at the minimum we have exceeded that goal. And we are in the process of reaching 160, which is the high end goal that we have set."

But before the MFP can become the government, there are a few more steps in the process. The party will have to form a government with other parties. In 2017, the military government decided that new premiers need the vote of 500 members of parliament and 250 senate members. These senate members were chosen by the military government. Also, the court could end the MFP. This process may take weeks.