Thai voters cast ballots in first general election since 2014 coup

 

Thai voters are voting across the country in the country’s first general election since the 2014 military coup.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha asked voters to use their rights properly to bring about unity and better development of the country with the Thai King Maha Vajiralongkorn made a call for unity  before the vote.

More than 51 million people are registered as eligible voters.

There are more than 90,000 polling stations across the country. The Election Commission expected that at least 80 percent of voters will cast their ballots.

Official results will be announced before May 9.

In the election, voters will choose 350 senators in the lower house. The new constitution allows parliament’s upper house, the 250-seat Senate, to vote with the 500-seat lower house to choose the prime minister.

Pro-military parties would probably need 126 seats in the lower House of Representatives to win a majority in a combined vote. Opposition parties would need 376 seats.

 

Via BBC