Thailand Live Sunday 3 Jul 2011

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At 5:00 PM, the party list counts of 20 per cent showed the PT's mustering 2.8 million, against 2.6 million for Democrat./via@ThanongK

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Early vote count showed Democrat win 49 seats in South

Early ballot count by TV Pool showed that the Democrat would win 49 seats in southern provinces.

The Chart Thai Pattana Party would win two seats and the Matubhum two seats.

The count was updated at 4:51 pm.

-- The Nation 2011-07-03

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ThaiPBS based on total vote counting so far PT 256, Dem 165, BJT 34, Chart Thai Pattana 18, Chart Pattana Puea Paendin 10, Palangchon 6 /via@bangkokpundit

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Thaksin Calls On All Sides To Respect Vote Outcome

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Chat Pattana Puea Pandin first to congratulate Pheu Thai

By The Nation

Chat Pattana Puea Pandin Party was the first to congratulate the victory of Pheu Thai Party, voicing readiness to join the coalition bandwagon if invited.

Party candidate Goanpot Asvinvichit said on Sunday issued a statement calling for all sides to respect the vote outcome.

"Congratulation is in order to Pheu Thai for its victory based on various exit polls," he said.

Goanpot thanked voters for supporting his party, pledging to work and fulfill their expectations.

He said the winning party should be allowed to form the next government and that the country would not see a repeat of any attempts at hijacking the people's mandate.

His party had no outstanding differences with Pheu Thai and stood ready to join the coalition alliance in order to fulfill campaign pledges and bring about reconciliation, he said.

-- The Nation 2011-07-03

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AFP: Thaksin 'clone' set to be Thai PM

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Thaksin on why PT won: Thai people are fed up with conflict. We are the only party that offers reconciliation (ASEAN TV) /via@RichardBarrow

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32.91% partylist vote count: PT 4.9m, Democrat 4.5m, bhumjai 450,000. /via@ThanongK

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Thaksin on ASEAN Ch: The result shows the Thai ppl want to resolve the conflict. PT is the only party that wants reconciliation not revenge. /via@nationnews

Thaksin on ASEAN Ch: PT has the platform to move the country forward. In the past 5 yrs, the country hasn't moved any further. /via@nationnews

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Vote counts in BKK at 5.30pm showed DEM 22: 11 Pheu Thai: http://yfrog.com/hs30244292j /via@tukky_nt

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Dems r unhappy about exit polls particularly for Bkk, but exit polls were released after polls closed so didn't effect votes. /via@bangkokpundit

RT @REUTERSFLASH: Thai Election Commission says ruling Democrats have won 168 of 500 seats with nearly 50 pct of votes counted

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Also, how does inflated exit poll figures help Puea Thai. Getting 250 is excellent result, but seems not so good when exit polls showed 300 /via@bangkokpundit

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Exit polls not realistic: Chai

By The Nation

Bhum Jai Thai Party candidate Chai Chidchob insisted his party would grab about 50 House seats despite a lower projection by various exit polls.

"Based on my 40 years in politics, I know my constituents and exit polls might be illusory," he said, branding the polls by a Thai saying of "nang thien" (sitting by a candle to make up a story).

Chai, former House speaker, said he did not mind wining or losing although he believed his party would perform better than being projected by exit polls.

-- The Nation 2011-07-03

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18:00 Count so far: Pheu Thai 251 seats, Democrats 164 seats, BJT 38 & CP 21 #Thaielection http://twitpic.com/5kk2ht /via@RichardBarrow

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CH team of analysts say it looks like PT will face a strong opposition in parliament w. Dems + Chuwit plus BJT. /via@RT @terryfrd

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Someone PLEASE tell the BBC that Yingluck is Thaksin's SISTER not daughter #fail /via@Dany_k: /via@bkkbase: /via@photo_journ

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ThaiPBS have estimates that 56 party list seats for PT, 49 for Democrats, 5 for BJT /via@bangkokpundit

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6.04PM 56.81% of ballots counted. PheuThai at No.1 (7.5mln), Dem No.2 (6.7mln), BhmJaiThl No.3 (664k) (real time count: EC) /TAN_Network

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AFTERMATH

Chuwit promises to fight corruption

By Pongphon Sarnsamak

The Nation

Rak Prathet Thai Party leader Chuwit Kamolvisit, a former massageparlour tycoon who is known for his eccentric character, vowed to serve as an opposition member of Parliament to fight against corruption.

"The high prices of commodities, economic crisis, educational problems and abnormalities in the Airport Link construction will be the first issues I will investigate," he told the press at his party headquarters at Sukhumvit Soi 10 after the polls closed on Sunday.

The 50-year-old politician said his political campaign had succeeded because most voters are bored with the two main parties and wanted him to investigate and monitor corruption.

"People have sent a big signal to the two main parties that they are bored with the failure of previous governments' policies and want me to scrutinise them," he said.

He warned the Pheu Thai Party and fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra that they must negotiate with the old powers including politicians, capitalists, and the military to bring the country forward.

He sent only 10 partylist candidates to contest the election.

In the last Bangkok gubernatorial election in 2008, Chuwit received 340,616 votes.

-- The Nation 2011-07-03

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Record turnout expected

By The Nation

Thai voters turned out in overwhelming numbers for Sunday's election, with the turnout believed to be higher than the previous record of 74 per cent four years ago.

Many poll stations had long queues of voters while polling stations hit by floods and rain still reported high turnouts.

Election Commission (EC) member Somchai Juengprasert was among voters who had to wait for an hour to exercise his right at the 37th poll station in Bangkok's Wang Thong Lang district. Traffic in Bangkok and Nonthaburi was very congested as voters travelled to and from polling stations.

In Suphan Buri's Muang district, provincial Governor Somsak Phurisrisak, who voted in Tambon Tha Rahad, said people were much more alert than before and estimated an 80-per-cent turnout.

In Udon Thani, so many people showed up that voters had to wait in the queue for 30 minutes to cast a vote. Resident Prapas Srikhem, 49, said he and his wife had voted in all recent elections and this year saw their 18-year-old son Ratchanon vote for the first time. The Rajabhat University freshman said he was excited about the process and his parents had taught him how to cast a ballot. He invited a friend to come and vote with him.

In Kanchanaburi, hundreds of voters lined up to cast ballots - including an 81-year-old grandma in a wheelchair, and thousands of soldiers from the Surasi Army Camp.

In Chon Buri's Sattahip, more people cast ballots than in previous elections and officials expected a 70 per cent turnout. In Rayong, there were traffic jams of voters. Provincial Governor Thawatchai Terdphaothai said he expected a 75-per-cent turnout.

In Songkhla, Thai Muslim villagers and others braved rainfall from early morning to cast ballots in eight seats.

In Lampang, the atmosphere at poll stations was buzzing as long queues formed, while Phayao's nine districts reported high voter turnouts. Kwan Phayao fishermen Cheun Lohakit, 76, and In Bathawong, 64, said they and 300 fellow fishermen from the local lake exercised their right to vote to ensure good people entered Parliament.

EC member Wisut Phothaen said his inspection of Lat Phrao in Bangkok in the morning made him think the turnout would be the highest in 10 years.

In Phetchabun's Lom Kao district, many of the 900 eligible voters at Tambon Wang Bal's Ban Thab Berk Ruamjai School, waded through a sea of mud from their homes in Ban Na Sa-oong to the poll station for two hours early Sunday.

-- The Nation 2011-07-03

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Vehicles containing ballots attacked by insurgents in Sri Sakhon district of Narathiwas, EC volunteers injured. /TAN_Network

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ELECTION

Clear policies secure PT victory: Thaksin

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About 1.2 million ballots are invalide. http://ect.thaigov.net/election2554/ via @thaireform @noppatjak RT @nationnews:

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77.97% votes counted for BKK. Unofficial result says PT won in 4/33 constituencies, Dem 22/33 and neck to neck in 4. /TAN_Network

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5 lowest voter turnout: UdornThani (24.54%), Samutprakarn (25.36), Kalasin (34.75), NongBuaLampoo (34.42) and Khon Kaen (36). /Via@ThaiElection11

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Pheu Thai Party's PM candidate Yingluck Shinawatra postpones her interview earlier schedule at 7pm to 8pm. via @js100radio

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Unknown number of gunmen ambush car carrying ballot boxes in Narathiwat's Srisakorn district; 2 persons wounded/ MCOT

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Thaksin's children show up at Pheu Thai headquarters to congratulate aunt for election victory /TAN_Network

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Chumpol denies meeting Thaksin in Hong Kong

Chart Thai Pattana Party leader Chumpol Silapa-archa on Sunday denied speculation that he was planning to meet ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra in Hong Kong in order to form the next government.

Speaking before his flight departure, Chumpol said he planned his trip a month in advance to boost tourist arrivals.

"I barely survive by the projected voting outcome, hence I am not in the mood to talk about government formation," he said.

He said he and party adviser Sanan Kachornprasart were only two to grab party-list seats, voicing disappointment at the campaign performance.

-- The Nation 2011-07-03