Barkar Nash (Page 973)

Wissanu warns of deep split in society

The Pheu Thai Party is expected to form a coalition with the Move Forward Party (MFP) as unofficial election results showed they were neck and neck in a tight race.

The Election Commission (EC) began counting votes after the general election concluded at 5pm on Sunday.

As of 10.30pm, two parties from the previous opposition bloc — Pheu Thai Party and the Move Forward Party — were taking it in turns in leading both the constituency and party-list races while counting votes was still being conducted.

The votes were still being tallied, with unofficial results expected to be available around 11pm, according to the EC.

Srettha Thavisin, one of Pheu Thai’s three prime ministerial candidates, said that unofficial results showed Pheu Thai was still in the lead, not the MFP.

“I am still confident Pheu Thai will win the election,” Mr Srettha said, adding that he and Pita Limcharoenrat, the MFP leader, had not discussed the formation of a government over the phone yet.

“We will discuss the matter with our allies which share democratic ideologies first,” Mr Srettha said.

Asked whether he was concerned about allegations of poll fraud, Mr Srettha said he was, and the party had sent officials to observe counts at polling stations.

Asked about the unofficial results that showed MFP had taken the lead in all 33 constituencies in Bangkok, Mr Srettha admitted he was disappointed and a bit surprised. Asked if he was upset that Pheu Thai may not win the election by a landslide as it had hoped, he said he was not.

Prasert Chantararuangthong, Pheu Thai party secretary-general, said the party will form a coalition government with parties from the previous opposition bloc.

He said while the counting was still ongoing, Pheu Thai would allow the party that won the most seats to form a government first.

Earlier, Mr Pita on Sunday confirmed that it could form a coalition government with the Pheu Thai Party and other parties from the previous opposition bloc. He confirmed he would not do a deal with the military-linked parties.

Speaking after learning the result of exit polls, Mr Pita said MFP and Pheu Thai could have enough House seats to form a government. “This is a positive sign. It’s time for Thailand to change,” he said.

Asked about coalition talks with Pheu Thai, Mr Pita said he expected the talks to start at 10-11pm on Sunday night. “A collaboration of the (former) opposition parties will deal with the challenges that the country faces. We will change Thailand together,” the MFP leader said.

Mr Pita, 42, said the formation of the next government would be subject to a memorandum of understanding and there must be conditions.

He ruled out the possibility of forming the next government with the United Thai Nation Party of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and the Palang Pracharath Party of Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon.

Mr Pita did not rule out possible coalition participation by the Bhumjaithai Party of Deputy Prime Minister and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul.

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam said that the incoming government is likely to face protests and resistance from its opponents.

He said while the economy will start to rebound and people’s livelihoods will improve after the poll, protests and unrest are likely to resurface as society remains split along political and ideological grounds.

This will obstruct any effort to steer the country forward, the deputy prime minister said, adding that whichever party that will lead the government coalition must be prepared to deal with such resistance. “Risk factors remain [after the poll],” he said.

“Don’t forget about the Yingluck Shinawatra government. It won an overwhelming number of House seats, but it later faced resistance and demonstrations,” Mr Wissanu said. Asked whether the country will undergo big changes after the poll, Mr Wissanu said change always occurs after an election.

“Even if the same government returns to power after the poll, it must still change its policies, change its team, change the way it works,” Mr Wissanu said. “Whoever forms the new government is unlikely to revert to the ‘old ways’. They must learn from past mistakes and keep up with the changing circumstances,” Mr Wissanu said.

Navy commander Adm Choengchai Chomchoengpaet said he hoped the post-election processes will go smoothly without any unrest. “Everyone wants to see democracy work and have a new government to lead the country to prosperity,” he said.

National police chief Pol Gen Damrongsak Kittiprapas on Sunday said more than 150,000 police were deployed to maintain order at polling stations nationwide.

Srettha Thavisin, a Pheu Thai Party prime ministerial candidate, is surrounded by reporters as he arrives at the party head office after the polls closed at 5pm on Sunday. On the right is Paetongtarn Shinawatra, another of the party’s prime ministerial candidates. (Photo: Chanat Katanyu)

Most claim no intent to destroy vote paper

Incidents of people tearing ballot papers were reported in several provinces, but violators, most of whom were elderly and had health issues, insisted they had no intention to destroy the papers.

The Royal Thai Police said yesterday after polls closed that the police’s election coordination centre had received reports that about 20 voters nationwide tore up their ballot papers.

In Songkhla’s Hat Yai, a 76-year-old retiree tore a green ballot, which was for the party-list system, into two pieces because she did not see a purple one and thought only one ballot was used.

The incident came to officials’ attention when the woman, who claimed to have a problem with her eyesight, brought the two pieces to officials to ask what to do next. She was handed over to police and faces a charge of violating the election law.

In Phuket’s Thalang district, a 77-year-old man tore his marked ballot papers because he thought he was supposed to. His relatives told police the man was being treated for ischemic stroke and had experienced some memory loss.

He was initially charged with damaging the ballot and his family was told to bring medical proof of illness.

The northeastern province of Udon Thani reported two cases of ballot paper tearing.

The first incident involved an 84-year-old man who tore the ballot paper for the party-list system at a polling station in Nong Wua So district.

The man, who reportedly had Alzheimer’s disease, told poll officials that he thought he had lost the purple ballot, so he tore the green ballot paper into two pieces so he had two separate ballots to drop in the two ballot boxes.

above An elderly woman braves the rain to vote in tambon Saeng Rung, in Trat’s Khao Saming district. Heavy rain came down shortly before voting began yesterday. JAKKRIT WAEWKRAIHONG

In Kut Chap district, a 61-year-old man tore a purple ballot paper out of frustration because he could not find the number he wanted to vote.

He walked up to poll officials for a new ballot and was told what he did was illegal. The voter told police that he mixed up the constituency and party-list ballots and that he was unaware that tearing the ballot paper was against the law.

Samut Prakan also reported two cases of ballot-paper tearing by an 87-year-old woman and an 83-year-old man at two voting stations.

Both reportedly had Alzheimer’s disease and were found to have damaged the papers unintentionally.

In Krabi’s Muang district, a 21-year-old man, who claimed to be a first-time voter, tore both papers after marking them, dropped the parts that were marked in ballot boxes and kept the rest. In Phrae’s Sung Men district, officials say a drunk voter fell in the polling booth and damaged a ballot paper.

World event next for fitness instructor

A Muslim man from the South crowned as this year’s Mr Gay World Thailand will compete on the world stage and represent the Thai LGBTQ+ community at Mr Gay World 2023 in October.

In the final round of the Thai competition, hosted by the Bangkok Rainbow Organisation at Mambo Cabaret on Saturday, Nazmadih Mateem Nujan, 30, an outdoor fitness instructor, was named as winner and chosen to fly to South Africa and compete from Oct 23–29 as the first Muslim to represent Thailand at Mr Gay World.

The Bangkok Post had a chance to interview him on the topic of being openly gay in Muslim society.

Speaking in reference to discrimination, Mr Nazmadih praised his family for supporting him regardless of his sexual orientation.

He said he had also received considerable support from his community in Kuan Prab Village in Phatthalung.

However, he was still worried that some people may not understand, as the Muslim community was diverse in its teaching.

“I think we need to communicate to those who may not understand us. There are many LGBTQ+ Muslim who have strong faith in religion but they cannot remain in the religion because the surrounding pressures keep telling them they are wrong,” he said.

He said that what empowered him to be brave and bold were his family and community.

“Being crowned this year’s Mr Gay World Thailand and being the first gay Muslim to get the title may help to empower other LGBTQ+ Muslims. They can still be good followers while being who they are,” he added.

Mr Gay World Thailand is in its fifth year, despite firsts being held in 2017, due to Covid 19 forcing organisers to postpone the event in 2021 and 2022.

Each year has a specific theme and this year’s was “This is Me”.

The competition is open to all gay males regardless of body size or shape, skin tone or even physical abilities. Of this year’s field of 29, one was profoundly deaf.

Kittinun Daramadhaj, chairman of Rainbow Sky Association of Thailand, added that LGBTQ+ people in Thailand often have to face the accusation that they are “sexually abnormal”, or “unnatural”, so events such as Mr Gay World Thailand are important in promoting the positive aspects of their sexuality to the wider public.