Pheu Thai may win most seats in Thailand’s May 14 polls, but not necessarily get prime minister spot: Experts

That said, there has been “considerable pressure” for the senators to accept the popular will and go with the elected government’s choice of prime minister, noted Dr Hewison.

Dr James Ockey, associate professor at the University of Canterbury, told CNA’s Asia First: “Thai elections are quite fascinating in the sense that victory doesn’t necessarily depend on who gets the most votes and who gets the most seats.”

He noted that since the turn of the millennium, the most number of seats in every election has gone to Pheu Thai or its predecessor parties.

“But on most occasions, it’s not been able to form a government because of some kind of interference. It’s been dissolved twice to prevent it from governing. The military put together a coalition on another occasion to prevent it from governing,” he explained.