Thailand's Crucial Election: The Fate of Democracy and the Shinawatras

The Pheu Thai Party, founded by Thaksin Shinawatra, is expected to dominate Sunday's election in Thailand, but it faces a challenge from the progressive Move Forward Party. The Pheu Thai Party's success will depend on whether it can retain its appeal in its traditional heartland in the country's north. The Shinawatras tap into a deep if muted regional pride, but the party can no longer count on automatic support in the region. Move Forward is currently expected to win 110 seats nationwide on May 14 and increasingly sees the upper north as winnable territory.