Thai poll hopefuls register as opposition vows reform
Candidates began registering on Monday for Thailand's upcoming general election, in which Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha faces a tough fight against opposition parties vowing to rewrite the kingdom's army-scripted constitution. Former army chief Prayut, who came to power in a coup in 2014, insisted the country needed an experienced leader as he accompanied prospective MPs from his United Thai Nation. He faces a difficult challenge from a resurgent opposition fronted by Paetongtarn Shinawatra, daughter of billionaire former PM Thaksin Shinawatra. Prayut, 69, arrived on an open-top truck with supporters and candidates in lively scenes at a Bangkok sports hall. Thailand "needs people who know how to do the job. If they have never done it, they can't do it," Prayut told Thairath TV. Thais go to the polls on May 14 for the first election since the kingdom was rocked by major youth-led protests in 2020 calling for political reform. Prayut and his party are lagging in the polls behind Paetongtarn's Pheu Thai and the progressive Move Forward Party led by Pita Limjaroenrat. But while opposition parties are riding high in the polls, Thailand's junta-scripted 2017 constitution gives army-favoured parties a big advantage when it comes to forming a government. To become prime minister, a candidate must win a majority of the 500 elected lower-house MPs as well as 250 military-appointed senators. (AFP)