Thai election candidates register in Bangkok

(3 Apr 2023)

FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBER: 4427548

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Bangkok - 3 April 2023
1. Track of Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha arriving
HEADLINE: Thai election candidates register in Bangkok
ANNOTATION: Hundreds of would-be lawmakers who’ll contest constituency seats in Thailand’s upcoming general election gathered to register their candidature.
2. Various of Chan-ocha walking and answering reporter’s questions.
3. Wide of supporters.
4. Tracking of Prayuth walking through crowd, UPSOUND (English):
(Reporter: “Prime Minister, are you confident today?”)
Prayuth: “Yes.”
(Reporter: “Why are you confident?”)
Prayuth: “Because (of) my team, my people. My people.”
5. Various of leader of Pheu Thai party Paetongtarn Shinawatra arriving.
ANNOTATION: Paetongtarn Shinawatra, daughter of ousted former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, was in attendance.
6. Wide of police
7. Wide of Shinawatra surrounded by her supporters.
ANNOTATION: Polls put her and her Pheu Thai Party at the forefront of the race, so far.
8. Tracking of leader of Move Forward party Pita Limjaroenrat arriving
ANNOTATION: They have until the end of the week to register, as the election will be held on May 14.
9. Wide of supporters
10. Thai Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan arriving
11. Head of Thai Sang Thai party Sudarat Keyuraphan waving to supporters
ANNOTATION: Candidates for the prime minister position will register tomorrow.
12. Various of candidates filling in paperwork.
ANNOTATION: The Thai election will see 400 directly elected seats and a further 100 seats decided by proportional representation.
13. Wide interior of stadium
ANNOTATION: The Prime Minister’s position is chosen in the following weeks, through a combined vote of the lower house and the 250-strong appointed Senate.
14. Wide of supporters

STORYLINE:
Hundreds of would-be lawmakers who’ll contest constituency seats in Thailand’s upcoming general election flocked to a sports stadium in Bangkok on Monday to officially register their candidature.

Supporters turned out to cheer on the candidates.

They have until the end of the week to register.

The election will be held on May 14.

Candidates for the prime minister position will register tomorrow.

Current Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha recently joined a new party, the United Thai Nation Party, and needs its slate of candidates to perform strongly to bolster his bid to recapture the top spot.

He told the Associated Press he was confident because of the quality of his team.

Paetongtarn Shinawatra – daughter of ousted former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra - was also inattendance.

Polls put her and her Pheu Thai Party at the forefront of the race, so far.

But Thailand’s electoral system means both will have to win by a huge margin to be sure of forming the government and claiming the prime minister’s position.

Polling ahead of Paetongtarn in Bangkok, at least, is the leader of the Move Forward Party, Pita Limjaroenrat.

The party has a progressive agenda that’s popular with younger voters.

But its policies alienate it from mainstream conservative Thai politics, lessening its chances of joining a governing coalition.

Completing the roster of heavyweight key figures was Prawit Wongsuwan, who served as Deputy Prime Minister under Prayuth.

He now heads Palang Pracharath, the largest party in the outgoing governing coalition.

He’s seen as a formidable political operator, though both he and his party appear to be extremely unpopular with voters, according to recent opinion polls.