Asia | A tepid taste of freedom

The opposition looks set to win Thailand’s election

But the army and the monarchy will remain in control

Paetongtarn Shinawatra, Pheu Thai party's top politician and youngest daughter of exiled former deposed Thai leader Thaksin Shinawatra, arrives for the registration of constituency candidates competing in upcoming general election, at the Thailand-Japan Youth Center stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, Monday, April 3, 2023. Thailand's general election is scheduled on May 14. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)
|BANGKOK

In 2021 Thailand’s prime minister, Prayuth Chan-ocha, was asked what he thought of a rising star in the country’s largest opposition party, Paetongtarn Shinawatra. “Who?” he replied. Less than two years later, Ms Paetongtarn leads Mr Prayuth in opinion polls ahead of a general election due on May 14th.

This article appeared in the Asia section of the print edition under the headline “Thaksin times”

From the May 6th 2023 edition

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