By DENIS D. GRAY
Associated Press Writer
BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) - Former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, deposed, exiled and allegedly corrupt, was poised for a comeback-by-proxy as exit polls showed his allies won Sunday's post-coup election.
The outcome is likely to deepen the country's two-year political crisis.
The information from Thailand's two leading polling agencies, however, differed on whether the pro-Thaksin People's Power Party had won an absolute majority in the 480-seat lower house of parliament. The final results might still allow the PPP's opponents to form a coalition government.
Thaksin was ousted in a bloodless coup in September 2006 but remains popular among the rural majority. PPP campaigned on a platform of bringing Thaksin back from exile in London and continue his populist policies.
Unofficial results were expected before midnight Sunday in an election billed as a return to democracy after 15 months of military-backed government.
A Dusit poll for Bangkok's Suan Dusit Rajabhat University forecast that PPP had won a majority of 256 seats, compared to 162 for the rival Democrat Party. An Abac poll for Assumption University showed PPP had won 202 seats, falling short of an outright majority, with the Democrats taking 146.
The Dusit poll surveyed 341,000 voters nationwide before polling stations closed at 3 p.m. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 5 percentage points. Neither Abac's sampling error nor number of people surveyed were immediately released.
Voters among the 45 million eligible cast ballots for about 5,000 candidates from 39 political parties. The contest pitted the PPP, stacked by Thaksin supporters and adhering to his populist policies, against the Democrat Party, the country's oldest.
PPP leaders said Thaksin, who was watching the election from Hong Kong, would return to Thailand early next year, sparking fears of continued political turbulence and sharp polarization.
The top rivals for next prime minister are a study in stark contrasts.
People's Power Party head Samak Sundaravej, 72, is an acid-tongued, ultra-rightist dubbed a political dinosaur by the local press. He has been charged with involvement in corrupt deals while serving as Bangkok's mayor. But he is seen as Thaksin's proxy and his earthy style appeals to many.
The 43-year-old Abhisit Vejjajiva, who leads the Democrats, is regarded as an intelligent, honest politician but lacking the common touch needed to connect with the mass electorate. English-born and educated at Eton and Oxford, critics say he is more comfortable in elite circles than wooing the key rural voters.
``I voted for the Democrats with the hope that Mr. Abhisit, who is an honest man with a clean record, will be able to restore the slumping economy,'' said Narese Marsuk, a bank employee.
``The policy of the People's Power Party is the same as Thaksin's party so that is why many people like me voted for the PPP,'' said Samran Kalaween, a Bangkok suburban housewife.
Chalerm Yoobamrung, a parliamentary candidate of the People's Power Party, said at a final campaign rally that Thaksin would come home from his self-imposed exile in London on Valentine's Day, Feb. 14.
But speaking after casting his vote, Samak said only that some time after the election would be needed before Thaksin returns, adding that the former prime minister would have to face the criminal charges against him and stay out of politics.
Thaksin faces a slew of corruption charges but remains popular among the rural masses and lower income urban residents to whom he offered cheap loans, virtually free medical care and village based development schemes.
The prospect of Thaksin's return has raised fears of another coup by the powerful military.
The military-installed parliament recently approved a controversial internal security law that critics warned will allow the military to maintain a grip on power even after the election.
The new law will allow the Internal Security Operations Command, a key security watchdog, to order curfews, restrict freedom of movement and curb the powers of government officials in situations deemed harmful to national security.
The election comes after almost two years of intense political instability that began with popular demonstrations demanding that Thaksin step down because of alleged corruption and abuse of power. The protest culminated in the coup.
Thaksin, whose Thai Rak Thai Party took power in 2001, was returned to government in 2005 by a landslide victory that gave it an unprecedented absolute parliamentary majority.
After the coup, Thaksin, a 58-year-old billionaire, was barred from office for five years and charged with a barrage of corruption-related crimes. He lives in self-imposed exile in England, where he owns the Manchester City football club.
The outcome is likely to deepen the country's two-year political crisis.
The information from Thailand's two leading polling agencies, however, differed on whether the pro-Thaksin People's Power Party had won an absolute majority in the 480-seat lower house of parliament. The final results might still allow the PPP's opponents to form a coalition government.
Thaksin was ousted in a bloodless coup in September 2006 but remains popular among the rural majority. PPP campaigned on a platform of bringing Thaksin back from exile in London and continue his populist policies.
Unofficial results were expected before midnight Sunday in an election billed as a return to democracy after 15 months of military-backed government.
A Dusit poll for Bangkok's Suan Dusit Rajabhat University forecast that PPP had won a majority of 256 seats, compared to 162 for the rival Democrat Party. An Abac poll for Assumption University showed PPP had won 202 seats, falling short of an outright majority, with the Democrats taking 146.
The Dusit poll surveyed 341,000 voters nationwide before polling stations closed at 3 p.m. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 5 percentage points. Neither Abac's sampling error nor number of people surveyed were immediately released.
Voters among the 45 million eligible cast ballots for about 5,000 candidates from 39 political parties. The contest pitted the PPP, stacked by Thaksin supporters and adhering to his populist policies, against the Democrat Party, the country's oldest.
PPP leaders said Thaksin, who was watching the election from Hong Kong, would return to Thailand early next year, sparking fears of continued political turbulence and sharp polarization.
The top rivals for next prime minister are a study in stark contrasts.
People's Power Party head Samak Sundaravej, 72, is an acid-tongued, ultra-rightist dubbed a political dinosaur by the local press. He has been charged with involvement in corrupt deals while serving as Bangkok's mayor. But he is seen as Thaksin's proxy and his earthy style appeals to many.
The 43-year-old Abhisit Vejjajiva, who leads the Democrats, is regarded as an intelligent, honest politician but lacking the common touch needed to connect with the mass electorate. English-born and educated at Eton and Oxford, critics say he is more comfortable in elite circles than wooing the key rural voters.
``I voted for the Democrats with the hope that Mr. Abhisit, who is an honest man with a clean record, will be able to restore the slumping economy,'' said Narese Marsuk, a bank employee.
``The policy of the People's Power Party is the same as Thaksin's party so that is why many people like me voted for the PPP,'' said Samran Kalaween, a Bangkok suburban housewife.
Chalerm Yoobamrung, a parliamentary candidate of the People's Power Party, said at a final campaign rally that Thaksin would come home from his self-imposed exile in London on Valentine's Day, Feb. 14.
But speaking after casting his vote, Samak said only that some time after the election would be needed before Thaksin returns, adding that the former prime minister would have to face the criminal charges against him and stay out of politics.
Thaksin faces a slew of corruption charges but remains popular among the rural masses and lower income urban residents to whom he offered cheap loans, virtually free medical care and village based development schemes.
The prospect of Thaksin's return has raised fears of another coup by the powerful military.
The military-installed parliament recently approved a controversial internal security law that critics warned will allow the military to maintain a grip on power even after the election.
The new law will allow the Internal Security Operations Command, a key security watchdog, to order curfews, restrict freedom of movement and curb the powers of government officials in situations deemed harmful to national security.
The election comes after almost two years of intense political instability that began with popular demonstrations demanding that Thaksin step down because of alleged corruption and abuse of power. The protest culminated in the coup.
Thaksin, whose Thai Rak Thai Party took power in 2001, was returned to government in 2005 by a landslide victory that gave it an unprecedented absolute parliamentary majority.
After the coup, Thaksin, a 58-year-old billionaire, was barred from office for five years and charged with a barrage of corruption-related crimes. He lives in self-imposed exile in England, where he owns the Manchester City football club.
4 comments:
Be afraid and fear, because the military will intervene; this time might not be a bloodless coup.
Thais are not idiotic like sdach khmers
We are Khmers and should look after our khmer interest only. And as such we should not interfere with other nation business. Hatred expression wishing to destroy and to ruine other nation do not exist in the civilized world. Enticing Khmers to go to war with our neighbors to get our land back is just like committing suiside. Our land is small enough already.
To 12:53AM! Bonehead!
You know that you are a fucken coward and what is the fucken point for you to go public?
So are you saying that it is okay for the Thaicong and the Vietcong to continue to violate Cambodian sovereignty and kill Cambodian people in the 21the century?
Hey! If you are born such a fucken looser and why can you just shut the fuck up!
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