Thailand's conservative Bhumjaithai party tops polls but will need partners to form government

BANGKOK — The Bhumjaithai party of Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul took a commanding lead in Thailand's general election Sunday, with about 93% of polling stations having reported, according to unofficial results from the state Election Commission.

The commission's running count, shown on its website, indicated that the conservative Bhumjaithai party won about 194 seats in the 500-member House of Representatives.

A simple majority of 251 seats is needed for the body to elect a prime minister to form a new government. The figures appear to make that total unreachable for Bhumjaithai, in which case it would have to seek partners in a coalition government.

The progressive People's Party, which had been tipped to win the most seats, was holding down second place with 116 seats.

Pheu Thai, the populist party representing the political machine of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, trailed behind with 76 seats.

It's widely believed that Pheu Thai will accept if asked to join a coalition government led by Bhumjaithai.

Vote came during a period of slow economic growth

The party list totals are subject to change until the vote count is complete, but the People's Party was benefiting most by racking up about 3.7 million more votes on party list ballots than Bhumjaithai.

The battle for support from 53 million registered voters came against a backdrop of slow economic growth and heightened nationalist sentiment. While more than 50 parties contested the polls, only three — the People's Party, Bhumjaithai, and Pheu Thai — had the nationwide organization and popularity to gain a winning mandate.

No party had been expected to win a majority

Local polls had consistently projected that no single party would gain a majority, necessitating the formation of a coalition government.

It was also thought that even if the progressive People's Party had won a plurality, its reformist politics aren't shared by its leading rivals, making it nearly impossible for it to assemble a coalition government.

The People's Party swept Bangkok

Natthaphong on early Friday night acknowledged that his party wouldn't come in first, and said it would respect the results. Its strongest performance was in the capital Bangkok, where it swept all 33 constituencies, according to the preliminary totals.

''We respect the parliamentary system, that we have to allow the winner to form the government first, and for now, we don't think we are going to form a government in competition with Bhumjaithai,'' he said, an apparent reference to any attempt to propose an alternative coalition when the House votes.

He also said his party would not support Bhumjaithai's candidate for prime minister.

Bhumjaithai outperformed own expectations

''At this moment, our people have given us more than what we expected this morning. So we owe our voters a fortune and we will only repay them by working at our utmost to bring all the good things to them and our country,'' he said.

Bhumjaithai is seen as the main defender and preferred choice of the royalist-military establishment.

Pheu Thai party leader Julapun Amornvivat likewise thanked voters.

''It will be the duty of the party that wins the most votes to form a government later on. For the Pheu Thai Party, whichever role we end up in, we will do our best to work for the people, at our full capacity,'' he said.

Anutin has been prime minister for just five months

Subsequent border clashes with Cambodia allowed Anutin to recast himself as a wartime leader after his popularity initially slipped because of floods and financial scandals. His campaign focuses on national security and economic stimulus.

Bhumjaithai benefited from an electoral strategy employing old-style patronage politics and a machine skilled at grassroots organizing in the vote-rich northeast.

Sunday's voting includes a referendum asking voters whether Thailand should replace its 2017 military-drafted constitution.

The vote isn't on a proposed draft, but rather to decide whether to authorize parliament to begin a formal drafting process, which would require many further steps before coming to fruition. About 60% voted in agreement to the new draft, a clear majority.