ANUTIN : COALITION TALKS ONLY AFTER OFFICIAL RESULTS

By Kenny Teng

BANGKOK, Feb 10 (Bernama) -- Thailand’s Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul reiterated that talks with other parties to form the new government will only begin after the results of Sunday’s general election are certified by the Election Commission. 

“Although the unofficial election results are now known, the process remains subject to legal procedures under the Election Commission,” he told reporters at Government House on Tuesday.

Despite taking a commanding lead with 174 of the 400 constituency seats contested, the Bhumjaithai Party still falls short of a majority needed to form a government, paving the way for a coalition.  

Trailing far behind Bhumjaithai were the People’s Party with 87 seats, the Pheu Thai Party (58), the Klatham Party (56) and the Democrat Party (10).

Anutin said that during this time the current Cabinet must continue to carry out its duties in full until a new Cabinet is sworn in.

Thailand’s 500-seat House of Representatives is elected through a mixed electoral system, comprising 400 constituency seats decided under a first-past-the-post system and 100 party-list seats allocated through proportional representation based on each party’s share of the national vote.

It will take a simple majority of 251 votes to form a government. 

The EC is required to certify the election results within 60 days, or no later than April 9, while the newly elected parliament must convene within 15 days of the official confirmation of the results.

-- BERNAMA