BANGKOK - A 30-minute drive out of central Bangkok lies the heart of Thailand's latest orange obsession.
A seven-storey building, at the entrance of a narrow street in a residential neighbourhood, houses the Move Forward Party headquarters. With no large sign or even its distinctive orange logo out front, there is little evidence that this is where the party's stunning win in Sunday's general election was devised through many hours of planning.
The biggest winner, Move Forward claimed 151 of the 500 seats up for grabs in Parliament's Lower House, according to unofficial tallies by the election commission.
Should official results and ongoing talks to form a coalition government support this mandate, the seven-storey building will likely be the home of Thailand's main ruling party.
"I still can't believe the results," said Ms Supapan Palangsak, 52, who manages the shop selling Move Forward merchandise in the building. "We were all celebrating right here that night."
The party's reformist policies, which call for the end of military conscription, legalising same-sex marriage and amending the law against royal defamation, have often been thought to be too radical for mainstream Thai politics.
But after it won the largest share of the popular vote, the Thai people's desire for change is clear, said analysts.
Denne historien er fra May 17, 2023-utgaven av The Straits Times.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra May 17, 2023-utgaven av The Straits Times.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Actor Ryan Lian slashed outside shopping centre
Local actor Ryan Lian fears disfigurement after he was attacked outside a shopping centre and suffered facial injuries.
Blue Man Group to end New York run after three decades off-Broadway
NEW YORK - Blue Man Group, the wordless theatrical troupe of drumbeating, paint-splattering, bald blue performers, will end its run in New York on Feb 2, more than three decades and 17,000 performances after it began.
Author Cormac McCarthy had relationship with teen when he was 42: Vanity Fair
On Nov 20, American magazine Vanity Fair published a bombshell article revealing that Cormac McCarthy, one of the United States' most celebrated and enigmatic novelists, had a relationship with a girl he met when he was 42 and she was 16.
Actor Jung Woo-sung may skip film awards after love child revelation
South Korean actor Jung Woo-sung, who was recently revealed to have fathered a child out of wedlock, is reportedly discussing with his agency whether to attend the Blue Dragon Film Awards on Nov. 29.
Imagine Dragons more pensive after six-year absence
Some 10,000 fans attended the concert by the American pop-rock band, who last performed in Singapore in 2018
Team behind Netflix film hopes to spread joy and spark debate on IVF
The makers of a new film about the British pioneers of in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) hope it highlights the fragile status of fertility treatment, with perceived threats in places like the United States and dwindling availability in Britain.
Notre-Dame inspired Americans' love and help after fire
Through an avalanche of giving in amounts from US$10 (S$13.50) to US$10 million, Americans have proven their love for Paris' Notre-Dame cathedral, mobilizing to support the rebirth of a monument they hold dear.
Wicked revels in the glory of frenemies
The female frenemy plot takes oft-hidden tensions and makes them larger than life for viewers' enjoyment and catharsis
Shell Out for shellfish
Clams, oysters and scallops are nutrient-packed and an environmental success story
Stomping out plantar warts
I get warts on the bottom of my feet. How can I treat and prevent them?