Thailand’s Royalists Set for Surprise Election Victory as Progressives Push Fails

Thailand’s ruling conservative party clinched a surprisingly solid election win Sunday, marking the first victory this century for a party aligned with the country’s royalist establishment and a clear defeat for an emerging progressive movement.

The Bhumjaithai Party, led by incumbent Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, is set to secure 191 seats out of a possible 500 in the House of Representatives, according to preliminary results from the country’s Election Commission, with votes from about 94% of the polling stations counted. That’s almost triple its tally in the 2023 election.