Prayut congratulates winning parties on May 16, 2023
Thailand’s outgoing PM General Prayut Chan-o-cha thanked voters and extended congratulations to all parties on Tuesday.
Prayut’s United Thai Nation Party only won 36 seats in the May 14 general election.
"I would like to congratulate all the parties that have received votes from the people. From now it's a transition and formation of a government," said Prayuth who arrived at the government house for a weekly cabinet meeting in his first appearance since Sunday’s (May 14) ballot.
The Move Forward party and opposition heavyweight Pheu Thai dominated polls, potentially signalling the end of years of control by army-backed parties.
Their alliance would need to ensure its efforts to form a new government would not be stymied by a military-appointed Senate, which gets to vote on a prime minister in a bicameral sitting of the 750-member legislature, and has a record of favouring conservative parties led by generals.
