Thailand: Party With Links To Former Pm Enjoys Lead Ahead Of Thai Polls

[bingobongo]

wow, those boys in green truly are genuises......maybe having bar girls in front of the tanks like last year will have the desired effect?

The People Power Party (PPP), which comprises parliamentarians from the disbanded former ruling Thai Rak Thai (TRT), is enjoying a strong lead in the Bangkok Post's pre-election opinion survey. In the most recent poll, the party secured 55% of respondents' votes, compared to 40% for its main rival the Democrat Party (DP). Although the DP was leading in the same poll a couple of months ago, the outcome tilted in the PPP's favour in November, and its lead has since increased while the DP's performance has fallen back slightly. PPP leader Samak Sundaravej also found himself topping the poll as preferred prime minister with 52%, compared to 40% for DP leader Abhisit Vejjajiva. Abhisit has been touted as a strong favourite to take the top job. In a related story, the Chart Thai party has complained that a recent change in the electoral system is likely to damage smaller parties such as itself. Previously, a party could gather votes it received nationwide to vie for a seat in the lower house, with 5% of the national vote needed to secure one seat. Chart Thai claims that the shift to proportional representation for 80 of the parliamentary seats will only boost the electoral chances of the PPP and the DP.

Significance: This strengthens the argument that the poll will essentially be fought out between these two parties, with most observers remaining convinced that a hung parliament is the most likely outcome of the 23 December elections.

Edited December 5, 2007 by bingobongo

[chanchao]

Yup.

Anyway, it seems the military groupies went to bed already in their yellow nighties... Shall look forward to the replies tomorrow.