Exit Poll Results Show PPP Wins

[raybingham]

My wife reports that in our village in Chiangrai province PPP did not hand out money but two other political parties did.

She also reports that in the last election (the one that was anulled) TRT did not give out any money but some of the other parties did.

Chownah

Just spoken to girlfriend in Buriram and she says that no one was handing out money this time. She was (rightly) proud that this was a positive change from the last election. She still voted PPP but did so after considering all the candidates IMO she has had a democratic experience.

[Tony Clifton]

So, when is Samak's next day in court for the fire truck scandal?

[onethailand]

My wife reports that in our village in Chiangrai province PPP did not hand out money but two other political parties did.

She also reports that in the last election (the one that was anulled) TRT did not give out any money but some of the other parties did.

Chownah

Just spoken to girlfriend in Buriram and she says that no one was handing out money this time. She was (rightly) proud that this was a positive change from the last election. She still voted PPP but did so after considering all the candidates IMO she has had a democratic experience.

No horses in race = no money handed out. All of the powerful politicians in the NE are banned from politics for 5 years. They already guessed correctly that the NE was unlikely to swing Democrat. Never bite the hand that feeds you, etc.

[Gimbo]

seems to me that if the military hadnt been so busy rushing to set things up so they can maintain some control they may have remembered to adjust the electorate boundaries to make it them fairer, it would have worked to their advantage and they wouldnt have the problem they have now, but I guess that would have taken some forward thinking unlike jumping on a tank after a few whiskies

To make them 'fairer'... LOL. Anyway, some of that was actually done.

BUT personally I think that buy tweaking boundaries here and there the best you can hope to gain is a handful of 'boundary' seats.. Especially looking at the political map of Thailand: The Democrats don't have a leg to stand on outside of the South and urban centers (Bangkok especially).. How would you change boundaries to turn that around? You just can't. When the popular vote is overwhelmingly towards one party then you don't turn that around by fiddling in the margins.

Yup, just look at the numbers for the different regions. PPP in the Northeast will will get 98 seats from there, the democrats 3

In other regions:

Central Thailand PPP 39 seats, Dem 35

North PPP 46 , Dem 16

The only regions where dems have the lead is in the south with PPP 2 and Dem 49

and in Bangkok with PPP 9 and Dem 27

Rural Thailand has spoken. They want the PPP

[george]

Update:

92% of votes counted; PPP close to majority

BANGKOK: -- People Power party (PPP) continues its lead as 92 per cent of votes have been counted as of Sunday 10pm Thailand time (1500 GMT).

Unofficial results showed PPP wins 228 seats while its rival Democrat party gets 166 seats from a total of 480 seats of both constituency and party-list candidacy.

Chart Thai party wins 39 seats so far while Puea Pandin party gets 26 seats, Ruam Jai Thai Chart Pattana wins 10 seats, Matchimathipataya has 7 seats and Pracharaj has 4 seats.

--Bangkok Post 2007-12-23

[mel2surf]

My girlfriend just called from Udon,and had voted for the Dems.She says she is sad and going to bed,

and that she hates the same old farts running the show,and that they should "take a nap" and allow younger,more educated politicians.Also said that most of her neighbors voted for the SOS party (same ol shit)..er..the TRT party..er..the PPP party,and that she kept her mouth shut.Poor Lek.

[bulmercke]

So, when is Samak's next day in court for the fire truck scandal?

Hey Tony Clifton - you shouldn't be talking about that. Don't you know Samak's re-invented himself these last few weeks!

[tijnebijn]

Just read on the Bangkok post that after 92% of the votes counted ,

that the PPP are on 228 seats , democrats 166 , Chart Thai 39 and Peua Pandin somewhere

in the twenties .

PPP wins definitely , although the Democrats have won the highest number of votes ever in their history

as well . Looks like if the middle sized parties do not choose a coalition with PPP ,

that the democrats will form a majority , which I will not mind , Abhisit looks to have an open

personality which I have never seen before in Thai politics .

However the winner should form the government though , hope thing will

not escalate in whatever form , not good to speculate on that is like asking the Gods

to do , so better a counter word for that , that it will not go that far .

Anyway interesting times ahead now.....

[amarka]

hi guys...

so now you see - Mr T will be back. he and his party have won without him even being there.

the military have had their coup and will not attempt another one - i hope - if they do then thailand goes back to the dark ages....

what will happen to all those traitors of democracy i wonder.... i suspect a lot of nail biting is going on now...

thailand has suffered enough over the last year or so because of the coup......

long live democracy....

amarka

[raybingham]

BBC News headline "Thaksin Ally wins Thai elections"

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7158354.stm

[onethailand]

My girlfriend just called from Udon,and had voted for the Dems.She says she is sad and going to bed,

and that she hates the same old farts running the show,and that they should "take a nap" and allow younger,more educated politicians.Also said that most of her neighbors voted for the SOS party (same ol shit)..er..the TRT party..er..the PPP party,and that she kept her mouth shut.Poor Lek.

I'm sure she knew what the result would be - but good on her for exercising her right to vote who she wanted to vote for

[george]

Democrat leader waits for PPP to form government

BANGKOK: -- Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said his party is ready to form a government if People Power Party that won more parliamentary seats cannot set up the government.

"I want to announce that we will wait to see whether PPP will be successful in forming a government. If they fail, it is our duty to find a good government for the country," Abhisit said.

PPP leader Samak Sundaravej said earlier that his party is ready to form a coalition government and invite all parties to join his party.

Abhisit said it would be rights of political parties to consider PPP's invitation to join its coalition government.

"Other parties could consider by themselves what is the best for the country," Abhisit said.

He insisted that his party has declared several times that it will never join hands with PPP. "I decline PPP's invitation," he said to the cheering crowds.

Samak claimed that his party could gain around 220-230 parliamentary seats which is almost half of the total MPs. Abhisit told a press conference that it seemed that his party win about 160 MPs.

Asked what he would like to tell Samak, Abhisit said Samak should think about the country rather than banned 111 former Thak Rak Thai MPs and ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

PPP had campaigned that if it won the election, it will grant amnesty for the banned TRT MPs and brought Thaksin back from exile.

--The Nation 2007-12-23

[SpacemanSpliff]

My wife just told me to stop worrying about stuff that I have no control over, and go to bed. Sounds like good advice for me. Spacemanstiff is predicting blood in the streets. I predict Spacemanstiff is overreacting, to put it mildly .

Well, to clarify myself a bit more: I'm not PREDICTING blood in the streets, I'm highlighting what the worst scenario could be like, and you need not look further back in history than just 15 years, the last time a military government transited to a civilian one.

Disregarding the opinions of the rural masses, even disrespecting them, is NOT doing a whole lot for 'unity'. I argued that this line of thinking is the most dangerous.

Aphisit is the next PM.

I think so too. (And I think he'll be it for around 6 months or so.)

You don't seem to believe me, but Ill have plenty of "I told you so's" to pass out when it comes to pass.

Believe me, I'd MUCH RATHER have you be the one saying 'I told you so' than me.

Night al

Good night!! I'm off to bed too.

[mel2surf]

"Asked what he would like to tell Samak, Abhisit said Samak should think about the country rather than banned 111 former Thak Rak Thai MPs and ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra."

.....wise words

[Jingthing]

Viva Abhisit (I am biased)

[mel2surf]

I'm with you Jing

[Maxi101]

.....

Edited December 23, 2007 by Maxi101

[Maxi101]

looks like the PPP/Thaksin forces have fooled poor NE Issans again with promises of handouts etc. ...so sad for Thailand...

looks like the PPP/Thaksin forces have fooled poor NE Issans again with promises of handouts etc. ...so sad for Thailand...

Hardly 'fooled' they got thier handouts !!

I guess this is to be expected when you have a near feudal mentality of pooyai rule etc.. The serfs and 'little people' see thier vote and input as not being valuable and hence sell it cheaply..

Plus whatever you say, many in the NE actually wanted to vote for him.. Thats their choice..

That's just not fair !!!

If you, like the most normal people of Esarn ,compare the Taksin time with the post Taksin time.

I say: health insurance, economic, planned school reform, cleaning up and new pavement and decoration of the roads (although mainly populistic) a.s.o. - getting rid of the drug problem (oh oh I know there will be attacks on me for that).

Well if you compare just that to the post Taksin time, what they gonna vote for ?!?!

They ain't that stupid like you think and ain't that greedy like you guess.

The Democrats --- tssssssssssss, why tell me, why the Esarn should vote for them?

They don't give and gave a dam_n about that area anyway.

It's here like --- the Democrates, WHO ?!

After the many posts of this thread I only can add:

Well, the very "stupid" Esarn people will get their next lection about DEMOCRATIC ELECTIONS.

my 2 cent (and surely fitting to the high niveau of the thread)

Edited December 23, 2007 by Maxi101

[bulmercke]

TIME FOR A REALITY CHECK

The CNS deposed Thaksin and removed Thai Rak Thai as a political entity and now fifteen months later TRT - in all but name - is re-elected with Samak of all people as it's leader - a staunch and loyal Thaksin devotee.

Do any Thaivisa members honestly believe that this will be allowed to happen. A PPP victory and government will effectively give Thaksin the keys to the front door and everything the CNS have striven for these last fifteen months will be undone.

No way is this going to be allowed to happen.

[Jingthing]

No way is this going to be allowed to happen.

Hopefully not!

[tijnebijn]

Viva Abhisit (I am biased)

I agree , he really handles things very appropriate , I think he is a nice

understanding chap , well worthy to be the prime minister of Thailand .

But yeah well we could not vote . Its the lack of any stronghold

in the North east where the demos seem not to win any sympathy .

At least the educated Thais in Bangkok thought different ways , even in

Chiangmai it is lesser support then before , guess the know Samaks tricks ......

[britmaveric]

A great day in democracy the people speak... well done PPP!!!!! :D :D

On a side note, we can all go back to drinking shortly!!!

[Tony Clifton]

So, when is Samak's next day in court for the fire truck scandal?

Hey Tony Clifton - you shouldn't be talking about that. Don't you know Samak's re-invented himself these last few weeks!

On top of Samak's day in court, there is his promise to dissolve the AEC, absolution for the banned 111 and a few other crazy election promises.

True to his old self and even though he promised he would, Thaksin will not return, even though it looks as he got what he wanted, a democratically elected government.

This circus sure isn't over with an election packed with mostly buffoons.

Now, who wants to buy a football club?

Edited December 23, 2007 by Tony Clifton

[paulsmithson]

So many farangs here with a totally superior attitude and totally disrespecting this country and its people.

You are an embarrasment to me!

what is so good about your own countries and their so called democratic processes?????

Yes I am one of the love it or leave it brigade as we have been named by you morons!

Nowhere is perfect but by Christ this country takes a lot of beating.

I love Thailand and I love and respect the Thai people.

You made the quote love it or leave it---I woould say respect it and your station here or <deleted> off fast

[hammered]

Reality is this. PPP have won and their opponents must acept the electoral victory. Similalry the PPP and their supporters must accept that court cases will be decdieed by courts and not by electoral votes. Then the country moves forward,

[yorkman]

Viva Abhisit (I am biased)

Got to be said I agree

Was it not Mae West that said "When choosing between two evils, I always like to try the one I've never tried before" or something like that. I wish Thai voters would take that view , but at the end of the day it's not my country.

We have had quite a few around this evening, watching the Television (I was going to say TV ) and most comments have gone around how different it was from the last 2 elections. Thaksin had landslides, Samak might just get in.

Even in Issan, most agree with TRT (excuse PPP) policies, but they don't like the man. It certainly seems to have slewed the Issan vote if the exit polls prove accurate.

[Maxi101]

TIME FOR A REALITY CHECK

The CNS deposed Thaksin and removed Thai Rak Thai as a political entity and now fifteen months later TRT - in all but name - is re-elected with Samak of all people as it's leader - a staunch and loyal Thaksin devotee.

Do any Thaivisa members honestly believe that this will be allowed to happen. A PPP victory and government will effectively give Thaksin the keys to the front door and everything the CNS have striven for these last fifteen months will be undone.

No way is this going to be allowed to happen.

I wonder, if so, why the heck they didn't do their "homework" properly before they let election take place ?!

There was time enough.

I don't state a politic opinion in any of my comments, just wondering.

maxi

[bulmercke]

A great day in democracy the people speak... well done PPP!!!!! :D :D

On a side note, we can all go back to drinking shortly!!!

Go back to drinking shortly!!!?

I've been drinking anything alcoholic within arms reach - and heavily at that - since the first exit poll results were released earlier this afternoon.

Such is my distress and confusion.

Edited December 23, 2007 by bulmercke

[Jingthing]

My current interpretation is that there is more than a fair chance that Abhisit can still be PM if the minor parties join his party in coalition, but alot depends on the exact votes tallies, and how the EC decides to disqualify for corruption. It makes no difference if Samak won the majority, Abhisit can still be PM quite legitimately. Does this sound correct?

[kopite]

So many farangs here with a totally superior attitude and totally disrespecting this country and its people.

You are an embarrasment to me!

what is so good about your own countries and their so called democratic processes?????

Yes I am one of the love it or leave it brigade as we have been named by you morons!

Nowhere is perfect but by Christ this country takes a lot of beating.

I love Thailand and I love and respect the Thai people.

You made the quote love it or leave it---I woould say respect it and your station here or <deleted> off fast

had a drink have we? hope you have anyways!!

glad that post makes you feel better, your such a good farang you make me feel proud. good, good farang you mate.