Journal of Democracy

Abstract:

Thailand's long-awaited March 2019 parliamentary election was supposed to usher in a degree of political normalcy in the wake of the May 2014 military coup. Instead, the promilitary Palang Pracharath Party was able to form a government, despite the fact that parties campaigning on an anti-junta platform won the greater number of parliamentary seats. Junta leader General Prayuth Chan-ocha and his key associates remain in office thanks to the connivance of various state institutions, notably the Election Commission. Nevertheless, the election was also notable for the astounding popularity of the new opposition Future Forward Party, especially among younger voters.