Thailand: Opposition parties leading in preliminary vote count

BANGKOK, Thailand - Thailand’s opposition parties - Move Forward Party and Pheu Thai Party - are neck and neck in the contest for the 400 directly-elected constituency seats.

As of 11.30pm (local time), 55 per cent of the votes had been counted, and Pheu Thai and Move Forward Party are leading in a preliminary vote count.

According to the Election Commission of Thailand’s website, Pheu Thai - linked to Thailand's self-exiled former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra - won 113 seats while Move Forward Party, which is popular among young voters, won 112 seats.

Bhumjaithai party, led by Deputy Prime Minister and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, won 64 seats.

United Thai Nation (UTN) Party, which named Prime Minister Prayuth Chan o-cha as its Prime Ministerial candidate, won 24 seats.

Pita Limjaroenrat, leader of Move Forward Party, told reporters that he is "very happy” with the preliminary results, and that his party and Pheu Thai should be able to form a government.

Meanwhile, Thaksin’s daughter Paetongtarn Shinawatra, 36, said the party with the most seats should initiate the coalition. - BERNAMA