BANGKOK, Jan 21 (Reuters) – Thailand will hold a general election on February 8 in a showdown between three big parties that could lead to its fourth prime minister in less than three years.
Below are some facts and figures about the election.
– 57 parties have registered to take part
– 53 million people are eligible to cast ballots
– 500 seats are available in the House of Representatives, 400 by constituency and 100 by party list
– 5,096 candidates have registered, 3,526 for constituency contests and 1,570 for party list seats
– 2 of the major parties, People’s Party and Pheu Thai, are third incarnations of predecessors dissolved by Thai courts
– 93 politicians from 43 parties have been formally submitted as potential prime minister candidates
– 5 of the past 6 elections were won by the Pheu Thai party or its earlier incarnations
– 251 parliamentary votes are needed for a candidate to become prime minister
– 3 ballot papers are given to voters, two for the election and one for a referendum on whether to pursue changes to the constitution
– 3 is the number of prime ministers Thailand has had since the 2023 election
– 1 elected Thai government has completed a full, four-year term in the past quarter-century
– 60 days is the period after the election when results must be certified by the poll body, or no later than April 9
– 15 days is the time in which the new parliament must convene after results are confirmed
(Compiled by Martin Petty; Editing by Kate Mayberry)
