Thai opposition victory may mean end of military rule

Opposition parties in Thailand took the win in Sunday’s general election with nearly all votes counted, paving the way for the possible end of the military-backed government.

The Move Forward Party came in the lead, followed by the Pheu Thai Party, with 99 percent of votes counted, according to Reuters, marking a moment of change nine years after incumbent Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha came to power in a 2014 coup.

The winner, though, isn’t guaranteed to form the new government. A joint session of the 500-seat House of Representatives will be held with the 250-member Senate in July to select the new prime minister, a process widely seen as undemocratic because the Senators were appointed by the military rather than elected but vote along with Sunday’s winning lawmakers.

Prayuth faced criticism over the country’s economy and response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Prayuth’s governments have also slapped down democratic reforms and prosecuted activists.

Move Forward and Pheu Thai had both campaigned for reform of the military and the monarchy. 

The Associated Press contributed.