Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, right, arrives at Government house in Bangkok, Thailand, Monday, March 26, 2019. (Sakchai Lalit/Associated Press)BANGKOK — Thailand’s anti-junta Pheu Thai party said Monday it will try to form a government despite losing the popular vote to a military-backed party in the first election since a 2014 coup, highlighting the nation’s deep political polarization. Pheu Thai leader Sudarat Keyurapha said it won the most constituency seats in Sunday’s election and will try to form a government with similar-minded parties. But the party faces an uphill battle because selection of the next prime minister will be decided by the 500-member lower house as well as a 250-member junta-appointed Senate. Unofficial results show the military-backed Palang Pracharat party won the popular vote, which along with the appointed Senate, puts junta leader and Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha in a relatively strong position to stay in office and cobble together a coalition government.

Source: Washington Post March 25, 2019 01:52 UTC