Thai Prime Minister Prayuth kicks off reelection campaign

By KAWEEWIT KAEWJINDA
Associated Press

NONTHABURI, Thailand (AP) — Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha has officially accepted his party’s nomination as its main candidate to keep the job in the upcoming general election, promising to build a new political climate that does away with decades of conflict. The 69-year-old former general led a military coup in 2014, following months of violent street protests in Bangkok against the elected government. Thailand has suffered from political instability since the army in an earlier takeover ousted the government of billionaire populist Thaksin Shinawatra. Prayuth’s path back to the top looks challenging. Opinion polls put him far behind Thaksin’s daughter, who is leading the opposition Pheu Thai party, as well as a candidate from a progressive party.