Stage Set For Pheu Thai Govt

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Stage set for Pheu Thai govt

By The Nation

Yingluck plays down victory; poised to become country's first female PM

Unofficial results of yesterday's general election indicated the Pheu Thai Party would win a majority of the 500 House of Representative seats and the mandate to form the next government.

Its top party-list candidate Yingluck Shinawatra is poised to become the country's first female prime minister, although in her news conference yesterday, she did confirm she would become the next government head. She said she would wait for the official results.

"I don't want to say that Pheu Thai has won today. The people have given us an opportunity to serve and there will be a lot of duties ahead," she said.

"It is the exercising of rights by people that gave me this opportunity," she said at 8pm at the Pheu Thai headquarters, which was crowded with photographers, reporters, and many jubilant party supporters.

She also thanked Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva, the outgoing prime minister, for congratulating her.

Yingluck - who had no political experience before entering the election fray six weeks ago - is widely considered a proxy for her brother, fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who described her as "my clone".

With more than 80 per cent of the ballots counted, the Election Commission's preliminary results showed that Pheu Thai was leading with 261 House seats, well over a simple majority. The Democrat Party was set to win 162 seats.

Initial results showed an outcome similar to that of the 2007 election, with Pheu Thai winning most seats in the Northeast and the North while the Democrats performed better in the South and in Bangkok. The capital - which saw a high voter turnout of 71 per cent - provided some solace to the Democrats, who were leading in 23 of the 33 constituencies.

In the latest count of votes for party-list candidates, Pheu Thai had 13.7 million votes, compared with 10 million for the Democrats. In the previous election almost four years ago, Pheu Thai's predecessor the People Power Party and the Democrat Party each secured more than 12 million votes, with a 190,000-vote margin in favour of the PPP.

Pheu Thai is unlikely to form a single-party government with a slim majority in the Lower House. Thaksin made it clear in remarks after the closing of yesterday's voting that there would be at least one other party in a Pheu Thai-led coalition. "Having no other partners, it will be lonely - just like me," Thaksin said, referring to his self-exile overseas.

A Pheu Thai-led coalition government is likely to include the Chart Thai Pattana, Chart Pattana Puea Pandin, and Palang Chon parties, as well as a Bhum Jai Thai faction led by banned politician Somsak Thepsuthin, who appeared to be unhappy with the party's mainstream. According to the latest results, the coalition would consist of a little more than 300 MPs.

Yingluck said yesterday that Pheu Thai had talked to Chart Thai Pattana about forming a new coalition together and would talk to other possible partners later. But she did not disclose the details.

At her news conference at the Pheu Thai HQ, she told foreign press in an interview that she had not won simply because she was a part of the Shinawatra family.

She added that she was still waiting for an official election outcome in order to decide about the make-up of a new coalition government. Chart Thai Pattana has already been in contact and expressed its willingness to join the coalition, according to Yingluck.

According to a Pheu Thai source, Chart Thai Pattana asked for control of two major ministries - Finance, Commerce, or Transport. A source from Chart Pattana Puea Pandin said the party would be satisfied with the Energy portfolio it holds in the current government.

Earlier yesterday, in his brief statement shortly after 7.30pm, Democrat leader Abhisit thanked voters and said signs were good for Thai politics to move ahead. He congratulated Pheu Thai for its election victory but warned that the Democrats would oppose any amnesty attempts for Thaksin.

"It is clear now that Pheu Thai has won this election. The Democrat Party accepts defeat and congratulates Pheu Thai [on having sufficient votes] to form a government, and Yingluck [in a position to assume] the PM's post, especially as Thailand may have its first female PM," he said.

-- The Nation 2011-07-04

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Thaksin allies seek coalition after Thai poll win

BANGKOK, July 4, 2011 (AFP) - Allies of Thailand's fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra will scramble to form a coalition government Monday after a huge poll victory that reshaped the kingdom's fractured political landscape.

The result is a remarkable comeback for the ex-leader's supporters after his ouster in a military coup sparked years of turmoil, and his youngest sister Yingluck Shinawatra is set to become Thailand's first female premier.

With almost all the votes counted, her Puea Thai party had won a clear majority with 263 seats out of 500, well ahead of incumbent Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva's Democrats on 161, according to the Election Commission.

It estimated turnout at 74 percent. More than 170,000 police were deployed to secure the vote, but it appeared to proceed peacefully.

The election -- and what happens next -- is seen as a major test of Thailand's ability to emerge from its long political crisis, which saw mass protests by Thaksin's "Red Shirt" supporters paralyse Bangkok last year.

The demonstrations culminated in the country's worst political violence in decades, when more than 90 people, mostly civilians, died in a military crackdown and major buildings were set ablaze.

The populist Thaksin is loathed by the ruling elite who see him as corrupt, authoritarian and a threat to the revered monarchy, and fears have been raised that an opposition victory could unleash more protests or even another coup.

A smiling Yingluck addressed jubilant supporters at the Puea Thai Party's headquarters in the Thai capital, saying: "Thaksin has called to congratulate me and said there was a tough job ahead."

The 44-year-old telegenic businesswoman, a political novice who Thaksin has described as his "clone", said she was working on building a coalition with the smaller Chart Thai Pattana and other parties.

"People are giving me a chance and I will work to my best ability," she added.

Abhisit, who took office in a 2008 parliamentary vote after a court threw out the previous administration, conceded, saying: "The outcome is clear -- Puea Thai has won the election and the Democrats are defeated."

Although Puea Thai has secured an absolute majority in parliament, bringing other parties into government will bolster its hold on the legislature and may make it harder for the generals to justify seizing power.

The Election Commission is already studying some complaints of possible irregularities, which could see candidates given "red cards" and disqualified, potentially whittling down Puea Thai's majority.

Thaksin -- who is hugely divisive in Thailand but whose parties or allies have now won the country's last five elections -- called on all sides to respect the result.

"All parties must respect the people's decision otherwise our country cannot achieve peace," the billionaire former telecom tycoon told Thai television from his base in Dubai.

"I think people want to see reconciliation. They want to move forward," he said. "We will not seek revenge."

Former army commander Sonthi Boonyaratglin, the leader of the putsch that removed Thaksin in 2006, played down the possibility of new military intervention.

"I don't think there'll be a coup because (the) people's voice must be respected," he was quoted as saying by the Bangkok Post.

Thaksin, a former owner of Manchester City football club, lives in self-imposed exile to avoid a jail term for corruption and faces terrorism charges in connection with the April-May 2010 protests.

An amnesty proposed by Puea Thai could see him return, but would infuriate many in the Bangkok-based establishment in government, military and palace circles and could prompt protests by the royalist "Yellow Shirt" movement.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2011-07-04

[endure]

""Having no other partners, it will be lonely - just like me," Thaksin said, referring to his self-exile overseas."

Ah diddums....

[ozzieman05]

My wife and I would like to say congradulations to the new Thai Government, but also warn Thais you may have opened Pandora's Box

In Australia we have a Female Prime Minister who won the election with Lie after lie and is sending our country down a roller coaster of destruction

If the new Government do what they said before the election and put the people first before her older brother, maybe Thailand can find peace

But if her election promises where just lies like the Australian Prime Minister, Thailand has sad days ahead

[eezergood]

My wife and I would like to say congradulations to the new Thai Government, but also warn Thais you may have opened Pandora's Box

In Australia we have a Female Prime Minister who won the election with Lie after lie and is sending our country down a roller coaster of destruction

If the new Government do what they said before the election and put the people first before her older brother, maybe Thailand can find peace

But if her election promises where just lies like the Australian Prime Minister, Thailand has sad days ahead

Could not agree more!! Anyway its about time we had a coup in Aus

[warfie]

""Having no other partners, it will be lonely - just like me," Thaksin said, referring to his self-exile overseas."

Ah diddums....

If he's lonely, he should return and serve his jail term, plus any additional jail time arising from all the pending charges...

I guarantee he will not be lonely in Jail.

[paully]

If the new Government do what they said before the election and put the people first before her older brother, maybe Thailand can find peace

Well, yes. ozzie, if. But unlikely that she'll forget she's a Shinawatra first and foremost.

[chuang]

To all those who have run down and attacked the Puea Thai and Yingluk...i wonder who has the last laugh...