Thaksin allies claim Thai win
Iinitial exit polls suggest party allied to ousted Thai PM Thaksin Shinawatra has taken a lead in today's elections.
Also In The News
|
England captain Michael Vaughan admitted his side deserved to drop to fifth in the world Test rankings after the series loss to Sri Lanka. |  |
Sunday, 23, Dec 2007 06:34
The party allied to ousted Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra has won the general election, according to initial results.
People in Thailand were casting votes in the first election since the military coup which unseated Mr Thaksin.
And initial results from the Election Commission indicate that the People Power Party (PPP) has won in today's elections.
Some 480 parliamentary seats are available and Thai television has reported the PPP - formed by supporters of Mr Thaksin after he was ousted last year – has secured 228 seats.
The PPP is led by veteran conservative Samak Sundaravej - who is thought to be standing on behalf of Mr Thaksin - was up against the Democrat Party, Thailand's oldest and led by Abhisit Vejjajiva, a 43-year-old who went to school at Eton and studied at Oxford University.
According to the Election Commission, around 93 per cent of votes had been counted, with the Democrat Party set to win 166 seats and Chart Thai 39.
Claiming the victory, Samak told reporters: "I will be the next prime minister for sure.
"I invite all the parties to join our government," he added.
But Mr Abhisit said he would not be part of a coalition with the PPP.
"If PPP succeeds in forming a coalition, the Democrat Party is ready to become the opposition. If the PPP fails, then the Democrat Party is ready to form its own coalition," he told AFP news agency.
There are fears that a PPP win - which could potentially mean a political comeback for Mr Thaksin - could spark another military coup.
The 58-year-old Manchester City chairman was legally barred from office for five years after being ousted in last year's coup, with his Thai Rak Thai party declared illegal and corruption charges brought against it.
The 2006 coup was the 18th in 75 years of unsteady democracy.
"Maybe the single greatest wish is that the military will really return to the barracks and not seek to retain some measure of control over Government House," the Bangkok Post commented in an editorial.
Many voters at today's ballot were wearing yellow or pink shirts in honour of the nation's revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej.