Charges of cheating amid confusion over Thailand’s poll result
Both army-backed party and rival opposition party claim to command enough parliamentary seats to form a coalition government as petition grows to impeach election body over poll irregularities
Bangkok — Thailand’s first general election since a military coup five years ago was thrown into disarray on Monday as two opposition parties alleged cheating and the election commission said it could be weeks until the make-up of parliament becomes clear. Confusion over the outcome of Sunday’s election raised the spectre of a protracted struggle to form a government, spoiling hopes of a clear cut result that could have ended 15 years of political turmoil in Southeast Asia’s second largest economy. Both the pro-army party seeking to keep coup leader Prayuth Chan-ocha on as prime minister and the opposition party linked to self-exiled former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, claimed they would command enough parliamentary seats to form a coalition government. The pro-Thaksin Pheu Thai party said it was considering a legal challenge over what it said were poll irregularities after partial results showed Prayuth’s Palang Pracharat party with an unexpected lead in the popular vote. The strong...
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