<div style="text-align: justify; "><b style="font-size: 1rem;">The crowd of thousands in central Bangkok erupted into deafening cheers at the arrival of Pita Limjaroenrat, the politician who led his party to a stunning victory over the military-backed groups that have dominated Thai politics for nearly a decade.</b><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Smiling and waving from the back of a pick-up truck, the charismatic 42-year-old businessman led a short victory rally on Monday from Bangkok’s Democracy Monument to a plaza in front of the capital’s Metropolitan Administration Office, where he declared a “new day, bright with hope” for the people of Thailand.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Anything is possible in our country when we all work together,” he told a sea of supporters clad in the party’s signature orange. “The next prime minister of Thailand will be named Pita Limjaroenrat and soon, we will change this country together.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Hours before, the Elections Commission had declared Pita’s Move Forward Party the biggest winner in the general election held on Sunday. The progressive party, contesting elections for the first time, took 151 seats in the 500-member House of Representatives after campaigning on a bold platform of reforms to the monarchy and the military.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The populist opposition Pheu Thai came in second with 141 seats. The two parties have now agreed to begin coalition talks. But even with their stunning majority, it remains unclear if the royalist-military elite — who have staged two coups in the past 20 years — will hand over power easily.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Several roadblocks lie in Move Forward’s path to Bangkok’s Government House.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Chief among them are parliamentary rules that allow a military-appointed Senate an outsized role in choosing the next prime minister. But the ambitions of Move Forward’s potential coalition partner, Pheu Thai, may also yet prove to be an obstacle.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">‘Hard times’</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Analysts foresee a long and drawn-out process that could end in deadlock and say they fear this may trigger new instability in a country that has seen multiple coups followed by waves of protests — potentially paving the way for the military to step in again.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“If Move Forward cannot form a government, we have to worry about party dissolution and even a military coup,” said Punchada Sirivunnabood, associate professor of social sciences and humanities at the Mahidol University in Bangkok. “Thailand faces hard times ahead. My hope is that the process of government formation will go smoothly and that there is no more conflict. Everyone is sort of sick of it, this cycle of protests, coups and protests.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There is reason for concern.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Already, several senators have said they would not support a Move Forward-led coalition. Appointed during military rule, the 250-member upper chamber is allowed to vote on the prime minister, and any candidate for the top job must secure 376 votes across the combined chambers. If they wish to overrule the Senate, that number must come from the lower chamber alone.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The biggest issue for the Senate is the party’s pledge to reform laws related to the monarchy — an institution revered in Thailand’s constitution. The plans include amending Thailand’s strict lese-majeste law, known as Article 112, which punishes insults to the monarchy with up to 15 years in jail. Move Forward has accused the current ruling coalition of using the law to stifle dissent, noting that at least 242 members of a huge youth-led protest movement that backed the party in Sunday’s elections are currently facing charges.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The youngest of them is only 15 years old.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Move Forward and Mr Pita once announced they will scrap Article 112, which will affect the monarchy. This is unacceptable.” said Senator Jadet Insawang in an interview with the Bangkok Post. “If Mr Pita is nominated [for prime minister], I will reject it because I will observe the constitution and keep my oath,” he added. Aljazeera</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd24/kh</div>