Politics Directional election and important referendum in Thailand
Thailand is facing a landmark decision: around 53 million citizens have been voting on the political future of the kingdom since this morning (local time). They are not only electing a new parliament, but could also initiate the drafting of a new, more democratic constitution in a referendum. A total of 500 seats in the House of Representatives will be newly allocated. Almost 60 parties have registered.
08.02.2026, 04:04
SDA
The vote is taking place in a tense security situation. Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul called the new election in December while Thailand was involved in an armed border conflict with neighboring Cambodia. It was the second outbreak of violence on the approximately 800-kilometer border within a few months. One of the reasons for this is the historically unsettled border. An - albeit fragile - ceasefire has been in place since the end of December.
Progressive party leads polls
In the latest polls, the reform-oriented People's Party (PP) was in the lead. It is the successor to the Move Forward party, which was dissolved by the Constitutional Court in 2023 and received the most votes in the parliamentary elections at the time - but was unable to form a government due to resistance from conservative forces.
The main reason for this was the party's proposal to reform the strict lèse majesté law, which opponents saw as a threat to the monarchy. The controversial Article 112 of the penal code provides for long-term imprisonment for insulting the royal family. He is considered untouchable by both the political establishment and the influential military.
The PP's leading candidate is computer engineer and entrepreneur Natthapong Ruangpanyawut (38). However, the popular former opposition leader Pita Limjaroenrat once again played an important role in the election campaign. He appeared at election rallies and mobilized voters, but is not allowed to run for office himself due to a court ban on politics.
Other important forces are the populist Pheu Thai Party, which is traditionally strong in rural regions, and the conservative Bhumjaithai Party of the incumbent head of government Anutin. Election observers expect that no party will achieve an absolute majority. Difficult coalition negotiations are therefore considered likely. Thailand has already had three different heads of government in the past two years - a clear sign of ongoing political instability in the kingdom.
Referendum on constitutional reform
A referendum will be held alongside the parliamentary election, which will not decide on the content of a new constitution, but only whether a corresponding reform process should be initiated at all. The current constitution from 2017 is controversial because it was created under military influence and gives unelected institutions - such as the Senate - considerable political influence. Critics see this as an obstacle to democratic reforms.
Polling stations are open until 17:00 (11:00 CET). Preliminary results are expected shortly after the polls close. However, the official confirmation of all results may take several weeks.
