Thais queue up as early voting begins

Thais queued under the blistering sun outside temples, shopping centres and schools to cast their early ballots on Sunday ahead of a much-anticipated election next week.

More than two million Thais nationwide are registered to vote early ahead of the kingdom’s May 14 election, which is shaping up to be a clash between army-backed establishment parties and resurgent opposition movements.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-Cha, who took power in a 2014 coup before cementing control in a controversial 2019 election, has been languishing in opinion polls with voters favouring old-school opposition party Pheu Thai and the more radical Move Forward Party.

But with an electoral system heavily stacked in favour of the army-backed parties, challengers must achieve a landslide victory to have any hope of forming the next government. “I hope this election will change the country in a better way,” said shopping mall worker Srisuda Wongsa-ad, 28, after casting her ballot.

She was among hundreds queuing quietly at a polling station in Bangkok’s fashionable Ekkamai district to vote at the Wat That Thong temple, overlooked by golden standing Buddhas.

Elsewhere in the capital, the Royal Paragon Hall shopping centre was packed with voters, albeit cooler ones, enjoying the complex’s air conditioning.

Despite the early hour, temperatures across the capital — which like much of Thailand endured a vicious April heatwave — were soaring and expected to hit 39 degrees Celsius later Sunday.

“I want the new generation to be running the country. I want to try something new,” said Nantthapon Phomput, 28, before voting at Wat That Thong.

Among the challengers are opposition party Pheu Thai, fielding Paetongtarn Shinawatra — daughter of exiled former leader and billionaire Thaksin Shinawatra — as a prime ministerial candidate.

While Pheu Thai remains in the lead, Paetongtarn was overtaken as surveyed voters’ preferred PM candidate by Pita Limjaroenrat, leader of the rival opposition Move Forward party.

Authorities had anticipated large numbers of early voters. Polls will close at 5pm (1000 GMT), with alcohol sales across Thailand banned until 6pm. More than 52 million citizens are eligible to vote in this election. An additional 100,000 Thais living overseas will also vote early, with some having already done so.