Thailand Gears for General Elections After Five Years

Over 50 million people are set to vote in Thailand's general elections after five years under the military regime. Backed by the royalist and military elite, junta chief Prayuth Chan-Ocha is likely to make a comeback. The Sunday elections, under a miltary-backed constitution - Thailand's 20^th, will draw dominant forces. A big turnout is expected after Thais thronged ballot boxes in advanced voting last weekend. Moreover, a 24-hour alcohol ban will also be enforced from 6pm today.

Punchada Sirivunnabood, an associate professor at Mahidol University's Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities said the establishment is trying to extend and 'legitimize its power' through the election and the constitution it enacted. Sirivunnabood said for more than a decade, Thailand's elites have tussled with Thaksin's populist alliance.

Moreover, a Thaksin-linked party, Thai Raksa Chart was disbanded earlier this month due to hostility toward the constitutional monarchy, after King Maha Vajiralongkorn rejected the party's nomination of his sister, Princess Ubolratana Rajakanya as its prime ministerial candidate. Bunsong Tengkeaw, a Bangkok businessman said things have been good since the military took over in 2014. He said it has been peaceful without the street demonstrations and violence from before. However, Tengkeaw says the economy could be doing better, but overall, Prayuth has been doing well. "He has stopped corruption, gone after the drug trade and done things no other government has before."

The Thai military had seized power from the last democratically elected government in May 2014.