The leader of Thailand’s pro-reform party, which won the most seats in May’s election, has been blocked from taking power by a parliamentary vote that includes military-appointed senators. Pita Limjaroenrat, leader of Move Forward, a progressive party that has a strong youth support base, won the most votes and seats in May’s election. But Thailand’s election rules, rewritten after a military coup in 2014, required him to have majority support from parliament to become prime minister.
After failing to gain a majority of the 749-member parliament, Pita said that he accepted the results but added: ‘I’m not going to give up’. Move Forward supporters gathered in the capital of Bangkok to express their anger over the result, holding signs reading: ‘Respect my vote’. The progressive party had campaigned on the promise of major reforms, including breaking up monopolies, ending military conscription, removing the military’s influence from politics and amending a strict law that forbids criticism of the monarchy
