泰国总理巴育观摩救灾演习 外媒称其连任胜算增加
According to foreign media, after the former prime minister Thaksin’s camp hoped to return to the political arena through the King’s sister’s participation in the general election, the hope of the military government leader to stay on stage after the general election seems greater than ever.
Agence France-Presse reported on February 15 that, seemingly to debunk rumors of a coup, Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan Oucha, who came to power through a military coup in 2014, smiled and spoke with military leaders from rival factions on February 14. Song Peng appeared side by side. The two and a group of local officials in Thailand watched the natural disaster relief exercise together. Prayuth said at the Lopburi military base (150 kilometers north of Bangkok): "I ask you all to keep smiling."
According to reports, Khlong Sompong denied rumors of a coup on February 15, saying that the relationship with the military government leader was "very close", and promised that the military would "go away" when the first parliamentary election since 2011 is held on March 24. A military government official said anonymously that, as a candidate for the next prime minister, Prayut "seems to be very confident in winning the general election, and some recent events seem to prove that he has reason to think so."
On February 8, Princess Ubon Ratchathani, the sister of the King of Thailand, announced her participation in the general election, which caused a political earthquake in Thailand. But King Maha Vajiralongkorn soon shattered his sister's ambitions and affirmed that the royal family should maintain its status as "above politics". To make matters worse, the Thai Protectorate Party represented by the princess is threatened, it may be banned and its candidates are not allowed to participate in the general election.
The report quoted a local official in northern Thailand as saying anonymously that Thais "do not want to see unstable situations anymore", after all, Thailand has been turbulent for many years. Thaksin's untimely attempt to return to the political arena "consolidated Prayut's position, and Prayut seems to have been seen as a guarantee of stability." Sophie Boisau, an expert at the French Institute of International Relations, believes that the King’s opposition to his sister’s participation in the general election “further strengthens the two-headed pattern of the Thai military leader and King Maha Vajiralongkorn”.
An academic analyzed that because the senators are appointed by the military government, “Prayut only needs to get 126 seats in the House of Representatives to win the election, which is much easier than if its rival is the Thai Party.” Must get 376 seats with allies to win. In addition, due to "cooperation with the Thai National Defenders Party", if the Thai National Defenders Party is dissolved, the possibility of the Thai National Defence Party being banned cannot be ruled out.