Thailand Begins Counting Votes for Snap General Elections
Ballot counting started after voting stations shut at 5 p.m. local time (0800GMT), having opened at 8 a.m. (0100GMT), state-run media confirmed.
Preliminary tallies are anticipated before the stroke of midnight.
Over 50 million registered citizens selected 500 House of Representatives members from approximately 5,000 contenders in the legislative race. The snap election followed a December 12 dissolution of the lower chamber—one year ahead of its scheduled four-year term completion.
Caretaker leader Anutin Charnvirakul deposited his ballot in Buri Ram province, the stronghold of his Bhumjaithai Party, while rival party chiefs predominantly voted in Bangkok.
The 500-seat chamber breaks down as follows: 400 seats allocated via direct constituency competitions, with the final 100 distributed proportionally based on nationwide party-list voting.
Results will dictate government formation and determine whether Charnvirakul maintains his grip on power.
Political analysts frame the contest as a three-way battle between dominant forces: the Bhumjaithai Party, the People's Party, and the Pheu Thai Party.
Polling data suggests no single faction will capture sufficient seats for solo governance, necessitating coalition negotiations to establish the incoming administration.
The Election Commission projected 75% voter participation, with robust morning turnout. EC Chairman Narong Klanwarin informed media that participation rates could potentially reach 80% or surpass 90%.
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