Thailand’s military-backed party takes lead in elections

Two major political parties raised doubts on Monday about the results of Thailand’s general election after a party linked to the military took a surprise lead in the popular vote that suggested the country’s junta chief will remain in power.

With about 90 percent of ballots in Sunday's long-delayed polls counted, the Palang Pracharat party had seven million votes. Pheu Thai, the party linked to the former Prime Minister and exiled tycoon Thaksin Shinawatra, had 6.6 million.

Future Forward, a newly founded party that campaigned on a promise of change and military reform, was third, with nearly 4.8 million votes.

The commission said it would announce the final results on Monday at 2 pm (07:00 GMT).

The vote is taking place under a new constitution that gives the military considerable influence over the country's civilian politics and makes it difficult for any party to win a majority in the 500-seat lower house. The upper house is appointed by the military.

Prayuth Chan-Ocha, the retired army general who led the coup against the country's last elected government five years ago, hopes the election will return him to power as a civilian prime minister.

The prime minister will be the person who secures a majority across both houses, and the 250-seat Senate is seen as giving Prayuth an advantage.

Thais are choosing their representatives through a complicated system that includes both direct votes and a party list, and while the official results will not be announced until after the coronation of King Vajiralongkorn in May, the Election Commission is expected to announce preliminary results hours after the polls close.

Thailand has been consumed by divisions between supporters and opponents of Thaksin since he was elected prime minister in 2001 promising to help ordinary people who had long felt ignored by the traditional elites in Bangkok.

Thaksin was overthrown in a coup in 2006 after mass street protests by the so-called "yellow shirts" and lives in exile after being found guilty of corruption. He says the charges were politically motivated.

The cycle of Thaksin-backed election win, instability and coup continued until Prayuth seized control of the country in 2014, banning political activity and cracking down on freedom of expression.

Despite the ban being lifted to allow election campaigning, parties and candidates continue to operate in a restrictive environment.

Thai Raksa Chart, another Thaksin-linked party, was banned and dissolved in February after nominating Princess Ubolratana, the king's elder sister, as its candidate for prime minister.

Parties need to secure 376 seats for a majority so it is possible for Palang Pracharat to form a government with only 126 seats in the lower house, assuming they have the support of the 250-seat upper house which is appointed by the military.