Thailand edges closer to new government as poll body certifies most election results

Thailand's election commission on Wednesday certified nearly 400 parliamentary seats won in this month's general election, moving a step closer to the formation of a new government.

• 396 constituency seats in the 500-member lower house have been certified, the commission said. There are 104 seats yet to be confirmed, of which 100 are party-list.

• A new parliament must convene within 15 days of the certification of at least 475 seats, 95% of the total, after which the house will elect a prime minister to form a government.

• A commission source told Reuters that party-list seats were expected to be certified next week.

• Preliminary results on election night showed Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul's Bhumjaithai Party winning most seats, followed by People's Party and the Pheu Thai party.

• Bhumjaithai has said it would be joined by third-place Pheu Thai in a coalition government alongside several smaller parties, an alliance that would hold an estimated 286 seats.

• There have been some complaints over alleged electoral irregularities that could lead to legal cases against the poll body.

-Reporting by Panu Wongcha-um and Panarat Thepgumpanat; Editing by Martin Petty/Reuters