2023’s top news: Move Forward wins election but loses fight for power

This year brought a general election on May 14 that produced a coalition government led by the Pheu Thai Party and a new prime minister, Srettha Thavisin.

Pheu Thai came second in terms of seats won, gaining 141 MPs. But in a shock result, the election win went to the liberal Move Forward Party, which secured 151 seats.

Just days after the election result, both parties announced they had forged an alliance with six tiny partners to form a new coalition government.

However, it took the Election Commission more than a month to announce the official election results on June 19. The House of Representatives held its first post-election meeting on July 4 to select the speaker and two deputy speakers.

Fight for House speaker’s seat

Both Move Forward and Pheu Thai fought fiercely for the speaker’s post but finally agreed on a compromise choice of Wan Muhamad Noor Matha, from the…