On March 21, 2014, Thailand's Constitutional Court annulled the February general election. The Constitutional Court ruled in a 6-to-3 verdict that because of disruptions at polling stations on Election Day and the fact that voting could not be held in all districts on the same day, the results would be invalidated.

At stake in this election:

• 500 seats in the House of Representatives

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: King BHUMIBOL Adulyadej
• Head of Government: Prime Minister YINGLUCK Shinawatra
• Assembly: Thailand has a bicameral National Assembly (Rathasapha) consisting of the Senate (Wuthisapha) with 150 seats and the House of Representatives (Sapha Phuthael Ratsadon) with 500 seats.

Description of electoral system:

• In the House of Representatives (Sapha Phuthaen Ratsadon), 375 members are elected by plurality vote in single-member constituencies to serve 4-year terms and 125 members are elected through a closed-list proportional representation system to serve 4-year terms.

Election Notes:

• The last election to the House of Representatives (Sapha Phuthaen Ratsadon) was held on July 3, 2011, following the dissolution of Parliament by Prime Minister ABHISIT Vejjajiva in March 2011. In the election, the Pheu Thai Party / พรรคเพื่อไทย, led by YINGLUCK Shinawatra won a parliamentary majority of 265 in the election. YINGLUCK is the sister of former Thai Prime Minister THAKSIN Shinawatra, who was forced from office in 2006. The Democrat Party / พรรคประชาธิปัตย์ formed the opposition, having won 159 seats in the election. Following an attempt to pass an amnesty bill in 2013 to allow THAKSIN to return from self-imposed exile, protests broke out accross Thailand. On December 9, following the resigination of opposition lawmakers, YINGLUCK had the King dissolve Parliament and called for early elections. The election was scheduled for February 2, 2014. The Democrat Party / พรรคประชาธิปัตย์ has decided to boycott the election, which has led to calls from the Thai Election Commission to postpone the election. Despite the fact that the Election Commission has failed to register candidates in 28 southern constituencies, and that in other constituencies turnout may not reach the required 20 percent, Deputy Prime Minister PHONGTHEP Thepkanchana has said the election can not be cancelled or postponed.
• On Election Day, voting was disrupted by protesters in 69 of 375 constituencies. Re-run elections are set to be held in several stages in these provinces. Re-run elections were held in five provicnes on March 2. The results of the election will not be released until all constituencies have voted.

Main parties in the electoral race:[1]

• Chart Pattana Party / พรรคชาติพัฒนา
  • Leader: WANNARAT Channukul
  • Seats won in last House of Representatives election: 7
• Bhumjaithai Party (BJT) / พรรคภูมิใจไทย
  • Leader: ANUTHIN Charnwweakul
  • Seats won in last House of Representatives election: 34
• Charthaipattana Party (CP) / พรรคชาติไทยพัฒนา
  • Leader: THEERA Wongsamut
  • Seats won in last House of Representatives election: 19
• Pheu Thai Party / พรรคเพื่อไทย
  • Leader: YINGLUCK Shinawatra
  • Seats won in last House of Representatives election: 4

Population and number of registered voters:

• Population: 67,448,120 (July 2013 est.)
• Registered Voters: 48,000,000 (2013 est.)

Population and number of registered voters:

• Population: 67,725,979 (2014)
• Registered Voters: 44,002,593 (December 2007)

Gender Data:

·         Female Population: 34,330,990 (2014)

·         Is Thailand a signatory to CEDAW: No

·         Has Thailand ratified CEDAW: Yes, accession (9 August 1985) 

·         Gender Quota: No

·         Female candidates in this election: Yes

·         Number of Female Parliamentarians: 79 (House of Representatives) following the 2011 elections

·         Human Development Index Position: 93

·         Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: Low

Disability Data:

·         Is Thailand a signatory to CRPD: Yes (30 March 2007)

·         Has Thailand ratified CRPD: Yes (29 July 2008)

·         Population with a disability: 10,158,896 (est.)