Young voters key to Thailand’s election

Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, a 40-year-old billionaire is a favorite with young thai voters

Published

2 years ago

March 22, 2019

Boris Sullivan

In Thailand, which will hold a general election Sunday — its first since the military seized control in 2014, a total of 52 million Thais aged 18 and above are eligible to vote, of whom 14 percent will do so for the first time.

Analysts are saying the emergence of FFP on the scene under its billionaire party leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit — who is seen as a breath of fresh air by first-time and undecided voters, but criticised by others for proposing “radical” changes to the status quo — will redefine the race like never before, writes the Bangkok Post

Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, a 40-year-old billionaire who is a favorite with young voters, has spoken about economic inequality in the country, which has the world’s biggest income gap, according to a 2018 report by Swiss investment firm Credit Suisse.

And at the Commoners’ Party founder Kittichai Ngamchaipisit is a social activist who has campaigned against land acquisitions for industry, and the forest reclamation policy which has led to the eviction of indigenous people.

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