BANGKOK
\nThousands of young orange-clad supporters cheered the rallies of Thailand\u2019s most popular political party ahead of elections this weekend, but few expect it to take power. While the People\u2019s Party is far ahead in the polls, promising to tackle corruption and reform Thailand\u2019s strict royal insult laws, even some of the party\u2019s lawmakers have their doubts.
\n\u201cThey will not let us become the government or come into power easily,\u201d 31-year-old firebrand Rukchanok Srinork told medi. \u201cIt is not a surprise that they will do everything to block us.\u201d Dubbed \u201cIce Storm\u201d by Thai media, Rukchanok is an inspirational figure for many young Thai voters who want to see change.
\nThe People\u2019s Party is the latest incarnation of the organisation that won the last election, in 2023, pledging to relax lese-majeste laws, push back military influence and break up powerful business monopolies. It struck a coalition deal with second-placed Pheu Thai \u2014 the grouping of ex-prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, now in prison \u2014 only for military-appointed senators to reject its leader, Pita Limjaroenrat, as prime minister.
\nThe constitutional court later banned Pita from politics for 10 years for campaigning to change the lese-majeste legislation, known as Section 112, and dissolved the party. Refounded and renamed, the People\u2019s Party was around 11 percent ahead of its nearest rival, the ruling Bhumjaithai, in the last survey by respected pollster NIDA before a pre-election cut-off. Half of 18- to 35-year-olds support the party, it found.
\nThe party has half a million TikTok followers, its bright and playful daily content far outpacing Bhumjaithai\u2019s 38,000. \u201cI feel bored with the old style of politics,\u201d said Napat Sinakasa, a 23-year-old software developer and second-time voter. \u201cI wish new politicians who\u2019ve never had the chance to run the country have the chance to.\u201d
\nBut elite and conservative forces retain their grip on the Thai establishment, and most analysts doubt the People\u2019s Party will manage to form a government, even if it emerges with the most seats. The party\u2019s victory in May 2023 \u2014 when it was known as Move Forward \u2014 came on a record turnout of 75 percent.
\nIts dissolution sparked months of youth-led demonstrations in Bangkok, with protesters hurling unprecedented public criticisms of the monarchy and demanding transparency and reform. Protest leaders were later convicted under Section 112.Analysts expect incumbent Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul\u2019s Bhumjaithai to come second this time and form a coalition with probable third-placed Pheu Thai.
\nMany young voters say that would dishearten them.\u201dI would probably be angry… not angry at the party, but angry at the rules or the people who caused it \u2014 those who might have made secret deals behind the scenes,\u201d said Patcharee Phadungsuksira, 26. \u201cI do feel a bit discouraged sometimes, but I still believe that one day it will be our turn,\u201d she added. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
BANGKOK Thousands of young orange-clad supporters cheered the rallies of Thailand\u2019s most popular political party ahead of elections this weekend, but few expect it to take power. While the People\u2019s Party is far ahead in the polls, promising to tackle corruption and reform Thailand\u2019s strict royal insult laws, even some of the party\u2019s lawmakers have […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":529430,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-529414","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n