EC Confirms Constituency MPs, Pheu Thai Loses 1 Seat

Voting in Phitsanulok province on March 24, 2019.

BANGKOK — The Election Commission formally endorsed election results for all constituency MPs on Tuesday, save a seat in the north which saw a candidate disqualified.

The long-awaited approval came two days before a deadline set by the commission, when a similar endorsement is expected for party-list MPs. A legal challenge files by a Pheu Thai member against the commission’s seat calculations still looms, though an Election Commissioner has said the commission is ready for any outcome.

“The Election Commission has prepared for everything,” Sawaeng Boonmee said at a news conference.

Read: Thai Election Day Ends With Unanswered Questions

Advertisement

According to the official returns, Pheu Thai came first with 136 seats, followed by the pro-junta Phalang Pracharath (97), the centralist Bhumjaithai (39), the once-powerful Democrats (33) and the young Future Forward (30).

Prachachart and Chart Thai Pattana secured six seats each, while the Action Coalition of Thailand and Chart Pattana won a single seat each.

The returns cover 349 out of 350 seats nationwide. The missing seat is a Chiang Mai constituency where a Pheu Thai winner was disqualified on allegations of election law violations. A by-election there is set for May 26.

Advertisement

The Election Commission will calculate seats for party-list MPs based on the combined votes received by each party from its constituency candidates, though a court is currently deliberating whether the Election Commission’s formula is in line with the constitution.

The challenge was filed by Pheu Thai member Ruangkrai Leekijwattana. He argued that the commission’s formula will award party-list seats to parties which have failed to secure the minimum of 70,165 votes mandated by law.

The Election Commission has until Friday May 9 to announce all results.