Thaksin-backed party takes lead in polls

Business Times (24 December 2007)

FIFTEEN months after being ousted by the military in a coup d'etat, the party backed by former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, has taken a lead in Thailand's much awaited general elections

The People's Power Party (PPP), which is closely associated with Dr Thaksin, looks set to get the first chance to form a government. Early indications suggested that the party could secure more than 230 seats out of the 480 seat Thai parliament.

'We are going to form the government as we have the largest number of seats, and we hope to have the decision by early next month on which other party would join us,' Samak Sundaravej, the leader of the PPP said at a press conference.

He added that he wanted the Election Commission to announce the results soon, so as to allow a government to be formed.

Mr Samak in the past had said that he wanted the self-exiled Dr Thaksin to return to Thailand and fight the legal cases against him, along with granting a general amnesty to the 111 members of Dr Thaksin's now defunct Thai Rak Thai party.

The PPP leader said that his party aims to have at least 300 seats in Parliament. He would also like to have allies among other parties, he added, so that the government would be more stable.
Mr Samak also cast doubt on the early polls conducted on Dec 15 and 16 when close to three million people took part, including about one million in Bangkok alone.

'From the exit polls we had on those two days, it was evident that we were in the lead but we have our suspicions now as the results in Bangkok look very different from those that we had anticipated,' he said.

'We will investigate this and inform in the future,' Surapong Suebwonglee, the party's secretary-general said.

Meanwhile, the PPP's biggest opponent, the Democrat party, said that it was willing to accept the results and as the PPP has invited parties to join it in forming a government, the Democrats would wait for the PPP to try its luck first. If the PPP fails, they will then look into ways to form a government. The Democrat party ruled out joining the PPP team.

Military installed Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont said that it was time that the people's voice was heard and that a government should be formed as soon as possible.

'I would like to request that all parties should accept the results, as the outcome is the wish of the people and we have to listen to their voice,' Mr Surayud said.

He added that a lot of work still needed to be done before a new government could take office, noting that the PPP, while being in the lead, is still short of a majority.

Mr Surayud stressed the need for reconciliation in Thailand so that the country could move forward. He urged the people and political parties to heed the message of Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who has called for national unity.

Commenting on the ongoing cases against PPP that could lead to its dissolution, he said that the process should be left to the justice department and nobody should intervene.

'The justice system should not be intervened in and we have to leave it to the department to make its own decisions,' he said.

Some leaders of Thailand's smaller parties - such as Sanoh Theinthong of the Pracharaj Party - attributed the success of the PPP in this poll to the failure of the current government and the military.

As at 10 pm local time last night, the PPP was leading with 232 seats. The Democrat Party had 162 seats, the Chartthai Party 40 seats and the Puea Pandin had 24 seats.

Official results will be known in a month's time although the Election Commission indicated that it will announce them as soon as possible.