Bhumjaithai Claims Surprise Victory in Thailand Election

Voters faced a choice between two starkly different visions for Thailand’s future, and the nationalist stance prevailed. With 89 percent of the vote counted, Bhumjaithai won 194 seats in the 500-seat House of Representatives, while the progressive People’s Party took 115 seats.

It was the first time in years that Thai voters backed an establishment conservative party, and the outcome defied polls that had given the People’s Party a slight edge. Anutin Charnvirakul, leader of Bhumjaithai and prime minister of a minority government for the past five months, had called the snap election to head off a potential no-confidence vote.

He still needs to form a coalition, but with a Senate majority aligned with Bhumjaithai he is likely to have control of both chambers. "We will accept the decision of the people in giving us the confidence, the trust to the Bhumjaithai party," Mr. Anutin said. The campaign followed a bloody border war with Cambodia, and Mr.

Thailand

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