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Bloomberg
The main party in Thailand’s ruling coalition named Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan as its sole premier candidate in general elections slated for May.
Prawit, a former army chief and long-time ally of incumbent Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-Ocha, was the unanimous choice of about 500 party members at a general meeting of the Palang Pracharath Party held in Bangkok on Friday, the party said in a statement.
Prawit’s selection pits him against Prayuth and Paetongtarn Shinawatra, daughter of former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, who are widely expected to be nominated as prime minister candidates by their parties. Prawit, 77, also faces the challenge of reviving the fortunes of the pro-establishment party that has seen a steady decline in popularity amid Prayuth’s bid to extend his rule by joining a new party.
Thailand is expected to hold general elections in May with the 500-member House of Representatives set to complete its term on March 23. A slew of electoral changes, including a return to a two-ballot system and a drop in party-list lawmakers, will give larger political parties like Palang Pracharath and main opposition Pheu Thai party an upper hand.
READ: Thai Election Jockeying Heats Up as PM Prayuth Joins New Party
Widely regarded as a political king-maker, Prawit’s party has pledged to increase cash handouts to welfare cardholders to as much as 700 baht a month to woo voters. Pheu Thai party has promised to lift minimum wages and crop prices while slashing energy costs to end nearly a decade of military-backed rule.