Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha has been in power since 2014 and has accepted his party’s nomination as prime minister for the upcoming elections on May 14. He is running with the newly formed United Thai Nation Party and has promised to build a new political climate that does away with decades of conflict.
During his five years in power, Prayuth brought in army-enforced stability after the military toppled a civilian government. However, after he was selected as Thailand’s civilian leader after the 2019 election, there were new outbursts of violence as his government used heavy-handed measures to try to curb student-led pro-democracy demonstrations.
Prayuth’s path back to the top looks challenging as he faces a showdown between an elite establishment and pro-democracy forces that have dominated politics in the Southeast Asian country for decades. Opinion polls put him far behind Paetongtarn Shinawatra, the daughter and niece of two former prime ministers from the billionaire family, who is running for the Pheu Thai party. Populist parties linked to Thaksin have won the most seats in every election since 2001.
Prayuth also faces a challenge from Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan, who is known as a formidable political operator. The former army comrades recently drifted apart with Prayuth joining the United Thai Nation party and Prawit staying with Palang Pracharath, the largest party in the government coalition.
The prime minister is not directly chosen by popular vote but is selected by a joint session of both houses of parliament. The 250-seat upper house, or Senate, is likely to vote as a bloc in favour of a conservative candidate. In 2019, the Senate unanimously backed Prayuth.
Despite lagging behind his rivals in opinion polls, Prayuth hopes to win over supporters with promises of looking after the wellbeing of the people, improving the country’s stability and protecting the monarchy. In a speech before 1,000 supporters at a convention centre on the outskirts of Bangkok, he said, “We will create a new political climate. We will have policies that address issues of the people and the country, and most importantly – and I only need to say one word, I don’t need to expand or anything – we will move beyond conflict.”
He added, “We cannot have any more conflict. In the decades that have passed, there have been problems. Don’t forget. Don’t have short-term memory. We cannot let it happen again.”
Prayuth’s running mate is party leader Pirapan Salirathavibhaga, who has been nominated as the party’s second candidate for prime minister. Thailand has suffered from political instability since 2006 when the army removed the government of populist Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra in a coup.
The upcoming election is set to be a significant event in Thai politics as it will determine whether the pro-democracy forces can break the hold of the establishment that has dominated politics for decades. Prayuth’s promises of stability and protection of the monarchy may not be enough to sway voters who are looking for change and a move towards democracy.