Election Day In Thailand

[cmcarrent]

Latest Update fron The Nation News online.

So far...TRT has more Votes than "No Vote" Votes in 11 provinces.

As for the rest of the provinces islandwide, there are more "No Vote" Votes over TRT.

By the way, the number of "Not Vote" Votes and TRT Votes are pulling closer at the moment.

Still counting.

[ColPyat]

The debate on royal power gained much currency and it gradually entered the realm of public consciousness that royal power would prevail and come to the rescue when the country faces a political crisis. It has been a source of hope, almost wishful thinking, among Thais who disdain Thaksin's lack of accountability and transparency. For example, the Supreme Administrative Court's ruling against the privatisation of the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand was very damaging to Thaksin, who pushed hard for the plan. But he refused to take responsibility and dismissed the flaws in the plan as technical errors.

This sentiment eventually led a cross-section of civil society, including businessmen and professional groups, to change tactics shortly before the election and, instead of asking for people to boycott or cast "no vote" ballots, make a united call for a royally bestowed prime minister.

Royal Power was reviewed highly critical by even major Thaksin opponents due to it's undemocratic tone.

General Sarayud from the Privy Council has today in an unusually strong statement made clear that the palace is refusing to be drawn into taking sides in the present political conflict, is not pleased by the constant attempts of doing so, and that the palace has to stay above politics.

Edited April 2, 2006 by ColPyat

[sushiman]

Latest Update fron The Nation News online.

So far...TRT has more Votes than "No Vote" Votes in 11 provinces.

As for the rest of the provinces islandwide, there are more "No Vote" Votes over TRT.

By the way, the number of "Not Vote" Votes and TRT Votes are pulling closer at the moment.

Still counting.

Are you still counting? he he ...joking...

How many "rest of the provinces are there" if you happen to know?

thanks

[cmcarrent]

Latest Update fron The Nation News online.

So far...TRT has more Votes than "No Vote" Votes in 11 provinces.

As for the rest of the provinces islandwide, there are more "No Vote" Votes over TRT.

By the way, the number of "Not Vote" Votes and TRT Votes are pulling closer at the moment.

Still counting.

Are you still counting? he he ...joking...

How many "rest of the provinces are there" if you happen to know?

thanks

The map only showed up for a couple of minutes on the news...so I didn't get the chance to count it.

On the map...seems like the outskirt of Thailand are covered by TRT Votes...

Whatever the case...on the map...it definitely look like there's a whole lot "More" provinces than TRT's 11 provinces.

[sushiman]

Latest Update fron The Nation News online.

So far...TRT has more Votes than "No Vote" Votes in 11 provinces.

As for the rest of the provinces islandwide, there are more "No Vote" Votes over TRT.

By the way, the number of "Not Vote" Votes and TRT Votes are pulling closer at the moment.

Still counting.

Nation News Online - choose your Internet speed in the "black-box" in the middle

[sriracha john]

good news/bad news

cable tv back on after fritzing out for awhile... yeah!

so was able to see the answer to my earlier question about invalidated ballots and it's a bit disturbing... bah!

quite high numbers out of total votes cast in some areas....

and then almost a non-existent occurence in other areas....

eg. one place will have 7,000 out of 42,000 total votes cast thrown out and another had 5,500 bad out of 37,000 total...while other areas had only 370 bad out of 51,000 total and another had 490 bad out of 43,500.

a re-occurring coincidence in the areas with high numbers.... the vast majority of them have TRT ahead of the No vote count, although not every time.

Edited April 2, 2006 by sriracha john

[cmcarrent]

good news/bad news

cable tv back on after fritzing out for awhile... yeah!

so was able to see my question about invalidated ballots and it's a bit disturbing...

quite high numbers out of total votes cast....

Sorry my Englsih is not good...what is "Invalidated Ballots"?

[sushiman]

eg. one place will have 7,000 out of 42,000 total votes cast thrown out and another 5,500 bad out of 37,000 total...while other areas had only 370 bad out of 51,000 total and 490 out of 43,500.

a re-occurring coincidence in the areas with high numbers.... the vast majority of them have TRT ahead of the No vote count, although not every time.

That's very strange, has it ever in previous years been so grave with the invalid ballots (votes with errors, example no cross at all, or fading stamp ink which where new implemented instead of pens which some people feared)????

The percentage is very high: 7'000 out of 42,000 is to strange, hey?

Anyhow, I think this will be details now no? as TRT has to think of something very quickly, orelse

they will sink with the master even more, as already if true (still not finished counted, and can't be verified yet) that approx. (according our friend above) 40-60% "No Votes" have been casted.

We'll see in the papers tomorrow, what the big boys will be up to, and blaming each other. I just hope and believe that tomorrow the golden day has finally come, and Thaksin will have to pack his bag. Imagine he would try to stay, this would be very fruitful for the PAD which would need to find even a bigger place to accomadate their new and returning visitors e.g. on next 7. April06.

I think the PAD did a great job, and mission nearly soon completed, if the clinging on to power will

not continue, after this slap of so many "No Votes"!

Other opinions?

Edited April 2, 2006 by sushiman

[cmcarrent]

Yeah...the "Null Votes" are about 15% of the overall Votes.

[sriracha john]

good news/bad news

cable tv back on after fritzing out for awhile... yeah!

so was able to see my question about invalidated ballots and it's a bit disturbing...

quite high numbers out of total votes cast....

Sorry my Englsih is not good...what is "Invalidated Ballots"?

an invalid ballot is one that is marked in unacceptable manner... not a clear "X" is marked in the box. They are not considered valid and will not be counted.

[cmcarrent]

good news/bad news

cable tv back on after fritzing out for awhile... yeah!

so was able to see my question about invalidated ballots and it's a bit disturbing...

quite high numbers out of total votes cast....

Sorry my Englsih is not good...what is "Invalidated Ballots"?

an invalid ballot is one that is marked in unacceptable manner... not a clear "X" is marked in the box. They are not considered valid and will not be counted.

Thanks for your explaination...I figured it out after u edited your last post.

[sushiman]

Yeah...the "Null Votes" are about 15% of the overall Votes.

now you start confusing me, 15% (before 40-60%??) would not be so great in my eyes.

Well I guess it's just to early to jump to any conclusions.

I better shut up, and wait until tomorrow.

good night folks!

Edited April 2, 2006 by sushiman

[cmcarrent]

Yeah...the "Null Votes" are about 15% of the overall Votes.

now you start confusing me, 15% (before 40-60%??) would not be so great in my eyes.

Well I guess it's just to early to jump to any conclusions.

I better shut up, and wait until tomorrow.

good night folks!

Hey Sushiman...don't panic yet!!!

Read carefully....I wrote 15% of NULL VOTES (Not 15% of "No Vote" Votes)

[sushiman]

Yeah...the "Null Votes" are about 15% of the overall Votes.

now you start confusing me, 15% (before 40-60%??) would not be so great in my eyes.

Well I guess it's just to early to jump to any conclusions.

I better shut up, and wait until tomorrow.

good night folks!

Hey Sushiman...don't panic yet!!!

Read carefully....I wrote 15% of NULL VOTES (Not 15% of "No Vote" Votes)

uff sorry my eyes are starting to "no vote" to .... thanks .....with a glimpse of hope I buzz off and dream about a holiday with Thaksin Family on the Virgin Islands, soon they will have more time

Who will take over and how they solve this big mess, with election fraud not solved yet, 3 main opposition parties on strike, Opposition watching carefully on the next move etc. we will

see in the next coming weeks. Of course a Happy End, with a good solution for all, would be in favor.

Edited April 2, 2006 by sushiman

[Girlfrombar]

My 2 cents :

I do precise I am not a Taksin fan, nor an oppnment. As foreigner I do not do politic in thailand. I also precise I consider thai people clevert enought to know what is best for them and their country.Whatever :

1) it's easy and good looking thing since one month to say Taksin is bad.

2) the guy indeed have made mistakes, errors and had some bad policies.

3) the same can be said about all and every political leaders existing or dead for each and every country

4) People are mostly confuse between ouste someone with a mob and the exercice of the democracy.

5) The main part of the anti taksin protester are from a social position that is well know : let say the bangkokian middle class. PLUS some intellectuals who raise since long time some morals advices, and some hight profile business or assimilate business person.

6) A lot of you read and speak fluently thai, so I do suppose they noticed what is written on the bilboards during the mobs? Mostly it's xenophobic or racist propaganda.

7) What Taksin did that made people so upset? No pay taxes? Sorry, but legally he do not have to do so, he was smart enought to use the legal holes existing. He is certainly not guilty if his economical oppnments are simply a bunch of morons not able to hire competent lawyers (Notice I do agree he used legal holes, or if it's not the english word let say he cheated the law, but it was not illegal).

8) Democracy is not a bunch of angry spoil and selfish people who are barely 20 % of the country who go rampage on the street and claim they are the heart of the country (both qualify the PAD and their opponments(the pro taksin)).

9) if you do not dare to go to poll because you know you will loose, so you are not worthy to simply imagine you will rule a country.

10) What taksin sold? A thai national company, or his familly business? Does taksin sold AIS or a nationalised company? I think he tried to do it with EGAT, and he was allowed to do so. But AIS is a private company, is not it? So what the fuss about private capital? The law say up to 49 % of foreign investment, what is the big problem?

11) After almost 5 years in thailand, for the first time I am scare. As I look stupid, as I have a mental problem that does not allow me to speak any foreign language but french only, thai (as english or US people) think I am not able to understand their own language. Well , even in Pantip shop keeper are less friendly right now. Well, farangs come in thailand not to give away money , but they want something for their money ... how dare they are! They should pay more. First time in 5 years I found shopp offering to sell mere CD copy for 250 bht (usual price is 100), and complaining me when I point the price in the next shop is 100.

12) People are complaining Taksin right now (thai people I mean) simply because he did what they dream to do but are not able to do because they do not have the balls for it. He got the big bucks. But he did not sold Thailand for that, he sold his own business.

13) Today, and it's what I am affriad, is the last day of the old thailand. Tomorrow it will be problem. If Taksin win, he will hit and hit hard. And the others will never accept to say he won. If he loose, and democratically resign and go with his money in bahamas or in france (we will be glad ot host him in Nice, Cannes or St tropez as long as he open a bank account there), what will come? The democrats? I do not think so. More likely it will be a leader of the PAD ... Religious extremist, or corrupt smiling oillyman, do your choice comrade.

14) what about the issan peasants who amongst the years have get gifts and money for taksin? What will they have now? Why do you think so many people upcountry used to vote for him? He give money ... I do agree it's vote buying, but when you merely earn 2000 bht a month you do not know (you do NOT WANT to know) wht is vote bying, but you know what your kids needs baddly.

As usual this post will certainly infuriate the most part of those who will read it, who cares in fact. Just read it, and think out the box about what I say. DO NOT FORGET we are not in USA, FRANCE or UK, but that is thailand, a country where powerty is usual upcountry, and where democracy exist since .... mmmm.... since Taksin was elected in fact, or some month before.

So , to take an exemple, Von Papen and the barons governement + the kamarilla was a a very bad thing in germany in 1932, but does the democratically and fairly elected man who went after von Papen was really the best choice???? I do not think, do you?

N.B I do not compare Taksin with Von Papen or anyone else, I justchoose an hystorical exemple.

P.S. Edited 2 times because certainly too sharp, maybe offensive, and also by auto protection

yes, he didn't sell thailand but he wants to OWN THAILAND.

thank you capitalism.

[sriracha john]

after seeing the election commission's rules on what would cause a null vote, I questioned why they decided to go with the new rubbber stamps... as they seem to increase the likelihood of making one of the mistakes that would result in a null vote. This would seem even more likely at the end of the day when they might have globs of ink stuck on the end of a small rubber stamp that's been used perhaps hundreds of times, especially by people unfamiliar with how to use them precisely to make a precise "X"... :

Characteristic of void ballot paper

1. Cross mark-rubber stamp (x) is stamped more than 1 time and appear as a flower, star or asterisk, without resemblance of a cross mark (x).

2. Cross mark-rubber stamp (x) is stamped but appear as 2 straight lines, not recognised as a cross mark (x).

3. Cross mark-rubber stamp (x) is stamped between 2 “mark boxes” by having the crossing spot on the boundary line separating mark boxes”, and consequently result the confusion on which candidate is voted for.

4. Cross mark-rubber stamp (x) is stamped in the “mark box” and there also appears other noticeable mark such as “good guy”.

5. Cross mark-rubber stamp (x) is stamped but appears as 3 straight lines, not recognised as a cross mark (x).

6. Cross mark-rubber stamp (x) is stamped and there also appears a quadrangle surrounding the cross mark (x).

7. Cross mark-rubber stamp (x) is stamped and there also appears a triangle overlapping the cross mark (x).

8. Cross mark-rubber stamp (x) is stamped but appears as a “V” shape or acute angle, not recognised as a cross mark (x).

9. Cross mark-rubber stamp (x) is stamped but appears as a straight line, not recognised as a cross mark (x)

10. Cross mark-rubber stamp (x) is stamped and use a pen to write a cross mark (x) in the same “mark box” by having 2 cross marks (x) explicitly separated.

11. Cross mark-rubber stamp (x) is stamped and appears as 2 explicitly separated marks in the same “mark box”.

12. Cross mark-rubber stamp (x) is stamped and there also appears a circle surrounding the cross mark (x).

13. Cross mark-rubber stamp (x) is stamped outside the “mark box” by having part of cross mark located outside the “mark box”, but the crossing spot of the cross mark (x) is located outside the “mark box”.

----------------------------------

To me, it seems so much more logical and practical to use an ink pen.

Edited April 2, 2006 by sriracha john

[jdinasia]

hmmm seems like people named Chad ... in Florida are now calling themselves Charles ......

woke up after a few hours sleep .. watching some poll results still .. but having a hard time interpretting their meanings ... guess I'll wait for the Pundits to ffill me in later ;-)

[Thaible]

Even if Thaksin doesn't get 50%, it still means someone from TRT will become the next PM. That's fine by me, as long as it's not one of those whiners from the opposition that are trying to replace democracy with mob rule.

[jdinasia]

huh? Thaible ... better start looking at the reality of what happens after these elections ...

[sting01]

My 2 cents :

I do precise I am not a Taksin fan, nor an oppnment. As foreigner I do not do politic in thailand. I also precise I consider thai people clevert enought to know what is best for them and their country.Whatever :

1) it's easy and good looking thing since one month to say Taksin is bad.

2) the guy indeed have made mistakes, errors and had some bad policies.

3) the same can be said about all and every political leaders existing or dead for each and every country

4) People are mostly confuse between ouste someone with a mob and the exercice of the democracy.

5) The main part of the anti taksin protester are from a social position that is well know : let say the bangkokian middle class. PLUS some intellectuals who raise since long time some morals advices, and some hight profile business or assimilate business person.

6) A lot of you read and speak fluently thai, so I do suppose they noticed what is written on the bilboards during the mobs? Mostly it's xenophobic or racist propaganda.

7) What Taksin did that made people so upset? No pay taxes? Sorry, but legally he do not have to do so, he was smart enought to use the legal holes existing. He is certainly not guilty if his economical oppnments are simply a bunch of morons not able to hire competent lawyers (Notice I do agree he used legal holes, or if it's not the english word let say he cheated the law, but it was not illegal).

8) Democracy is not a bunch of angry spoil and selfish people who are barely 20 % of the country who go rampage on the street and claim they are the heart of the country (both qualify the PAD and their opponments(the pro taksin)).

9) if you do not dare to go to poll because you know you will loose, so you are not worthy to simply imagine you will rule a country.

10) What taksin sold? A thai national company, or his familly business? Does taksin sold AIS or a nationalised company? I think he tried to do it with EGAT, and he was allowed to do so. But AIS is a private company, is not it? So what the fuss about private capital? The law say up to 49 % of foreign investment, what is the big problem?

11) After almost 5 years in thailand, for the first time I am scare. As I look stupid, as I have a mental problem that does not allow me to speak any foreign language but french only, thai (as english or US people) think I am not able to understand their own language. Well , even in Pantip shop keeper are less friendly right now. Well, farangs come in thailand not to give away money , but they want something for their money ... how dare they are! They should pay more. First time in 5 years I found shopp offering to sell mere CD copy for 250 bht (usual price is 100), and complaining me when I point the price in the next shop is 100.

12) People are complaining Taksin right now (thai people I mean) simply because he did what they dream to do but are not able to do because they do not have the balls for it. He got the big bucks. But he did not sold Thailand for that, he sold his own business.

13) Today, and it's what I am affriad, is the last day of the old thailand. Tomorrow it will be problem. If Taksin win, he will hit and hit hard. And the others will never accept to say he won. If he loose, and democratically resign and go with his money in bahamas or in france (we will be glad ot host him in Nice, Cannes or St tropez as long as he open a bank account there), what will come? The democrats? I do not think so. More likely it will be a leader of the PAD ... Religious extremist, or corrupt smiling oillyman, do your choice comrade.

14) what about the issan peasants who amongst the years have get gifts and money for taksin? What will they have now? Why do you think so many people upcountry used to vote for him? He give money ... I do agree it's vote buying, but when you merely earn 2000 bht a month you do not know (you do NOT WANT to know) wht is vote bying, but you know what your kids needs baddly.

As usual this post will certainly infuriate the most part of those who will read it, who cares in fact. Just read it, and think out the box about what I say. DO NOT FORGET we are not in USA, FRANCE or UK, but that is thailand, a country where powerty is usual upcountry, and where democracy exist since .... mmmm.... since Taksin was elected in fact, or some month before.

So , to take an exemple, Von Papen and the barons governement + the kamarilla was a a very bad thing in germany in 1932, but does the democratically and fairly elected man who went after von Papen was really the best choice???? I do not think, do you?

N.B I do not compare Taksin with Von Papen or anyone else, I justchoose an hystorical exemple.

P.S. Edited 2 times because certainly too sharp, maybe offensive, and also by auto protection

yes, he didn't sell thailand but he wants to OWN THAILAND.

thank you capitalism.

GFB, is it really you? Almost 2 years I did not see you girl ... What a pleasure to learn you are still alive

[sriracha john]

Even if Thaksin doesn't get 50%, it still means someone from TRT will become the next PM.

Siam Paragon Closed Wednesday And Thursday

Thaible Posted on: 2006-03-28 18:55:35

After Thaksin wins in a landslide, everyone will laugh at PAD when they say they are speaking for the "people".

what a difference a mere five days can make, eh?

[jdinasia]

Major (lead) stories on the election on both BBC and CNN today ....

[Thaible]

Even if Thaksin doesn't get 50%, it still means someone from TRT will become the next PM.

Siam Paragon Closed Wednesday And Thursday

Thaible Posted on: 2006-03-28 18:55:35

After Thaksin wins in a landslide, everyone will laugh at PAD when they say they are speaking for the "people".

what a difference a mere five days can make, eh?

He still will win in a landslide, and the PAD are still laughable. You hardly need 50% to still be considered a landslide. But I did think it was stupid of him to make that 50% promise.

[sriracha john]

Official vote counter displaying a "No Vote"

Strong boycott in Thai polls stuns Thaksin

03/04/2006

Reuters

BANGKOK - Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was unable to claim the decisive mandate he sought after a strong protest vote in Sunday’s snap poll pointed to a constitutional crisis.

Refusing to recognise the election as legitimate, the opposition did not put up any candidates and urged voters instead to tick the "no vote" box on their ballots.

The strategy seemed to work in Bangkok where "no votes" were in a clear majority with at least half the ballots counted, Thai media said. Thaksin won 32 of Bangkok’s 37 constituencies in polls last year.

Nearly 70 percent of the 399 seats at stake across the country were uncontested as a result of the boycott and many will be left empty, lacking a minimum number of votes. That will effectively prevent a new government from being formed.

Dismayed over the "no vote" trend, Thaksin was thinking about turning the government over to his deputy as a way of defusing political tensions, Thai newspapers reported on Monday quoting sources from his Thai Rak Thai (TRT) party.

For the moment, he remains head of a caretaker government.

[jdinasia]

He still will win in a landslide, and the PAD are still laughable. You hardly need 50% to still be considered a landslide. But I did think it was stupid of him to make that 50% promise.

Huh?

"you hardly need 50% to still be considered a landslide? HUH No ... you don't ... you need 50% plus 1 vote to "Win" .... a landslide takes alot more .... and less well ... it is called losing

Edited April 3, 2006 by jdinasia

[tettyan]

He still will win in a landslide, and the PAD are still laughable. You hardly need 50% to still be considered a landslide. But I did think it was stupid of him to make that 50% promise.

Winning a "landslide" in terms of seats when the overwhelming majority of constituencies are uncontested is hardly an accomplishment.

What is the sound of one hand clapping?

[marshbags]

Speaking of quotes, any progress made in finding those that you said I wrote?

Or is it safe now for everyone to sort out that your accusations were lies?

On the page I referenced I see you calling a Reuters article rubbish because it states there is no indication that there will be a royal intervention, in the same post you cite a Bangkok Post article to back up your claim, however the Bangkok Post article does not in any way suggest there will be a royal intervention. In other words you were making groundless assumptions.

Forgive me for not wanting to invest any more time in finding similar moments of brilliant insight among your 1000 posts a day, sorry playing time is over.

I have more important matters to attend to, like watching tv and drinking beer

The Reuters report said there was no indication the monarchy was going to be involved. I pointed to the Bangkok Post article that said the monarchy was having a rare meeting of the entire Privy Council.

No where in my post did I predict the monarchy would get involved. I would NEVER predict ANYTHING regarding His Majesty King Bhumiphol's actions. I'm on record several times to discourage others who have speculated on what he's thinking or what he will or will not do. In addition to going against forum rules, even more importantly to me is that I believe it's certainly

not our place to do so....

and that's what particularly bothered me about your accusation.

So the end result is.... your accusation is a lie.

It saddens me to say, but just more dishonesty on thaivisa....

Go back to your beers, it's something you're far better at.

Nice one sriracha

You,re doing a great job keeping us supplied with the information/news along with J.D and the other regular contributors on all other related forums.

How you,ve kept it up i don,t know and still going strong.

Regarding the poll booth arrangements my wife mentioned yesterday that they had arranged the tables as has been mentioned.

Another ploy of intimidation and nothing less.

Don,t know how true it is but one of the village advisors ( cough cough ) has just told her that Thaksins fallen on his sword due to the percentages being below the 20% ( Udonthani district. )

She looked well ****** *** anyway.

Well done again to all serious and productive contributors to this and the other related forums.

kudos mak mak

marshbags

P.S.

Just because we are mostly farang doesn,t exclude us from taking an interest and discussing the situation, after all most of us have Thai family through our wives and children.

08.10 As i am typing this post.

BBC news says it looks like the early results are not good for the ruling party with the no votes out stripping the votes for TRT by a large ammount.

They interviewed a couple of voters who said there was big trouble ahead as they didn,t believe Thaksin would do the honourable thing no matter what the outcome.

I think it would be interesting later to look back on all the posts highlighting the more interesting pertinent ones for analysis, right or wrong. It,s been a great debate up to now.

Edited April 3, 2006 by marshbags

[jdinasia]

From CNN front page story International edition today

BANGKOK, Thailand (Reuters) -- Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was unable to claim the decisive mandate he sought after a strong protest vote in Sunday's snap poll pointed to a constitutional crisis.

Refusing to recognize the election as legitimate, the opposition did not put up any candidates and urged voters instead to tick the "no vote" box on their ballots.

The strategy seemed to work in Bangkok where "no votes" were in a clear majority with at least half the ballots counted, Thai media said.

Thaksin won 32 of Bangkok's 37 constituencies in polls last year.

Nearly 70 percent of the 399 seats at stake across the country were uncontested as a result of the boycott and many will be left empty, lacking a minimum number of votes. That will effectively prevent a new government from being formed.

Dismayed over the "no vote" trend, Thaksin was thinking about turning the government over to his deputy as a way of defusing political tensions, Thai newspapers reported on Monday quoting sources from his Thai Rak Thai (TRT) party.

For the moment, he remains head of a caretaker government.

"The poll will produce a protracted deadlock for months," political scientist Somjai Phagaphasvivat told Reuters. "The final outcome is far from certain."

Thaksin's main support is in the countryside and early returns showed him getting solid support there -- enough to hand him another big majority -- if and when parliament convenes.

Thai media said turnout was about 70 percent of the 45 million electorate, compared with 73 percent in February 2005.

Counting was slow outside Bangkok and final official results were expected only late on Monday, the Elections Commission said.

Thaksin called the election three years early to prove he had majority support against what he called "mobs" accusing him of corruption, cronyism and abuse of power. He said he would step down if his Thai Rak Thai (Thais Love Thais) party got less than 50 percent of the vote, which looked unlikely.

But the opposition boycott is likely to plunge the country into a constitutional mess because it will result in empty seats in the 500-seat parliament.

Even in an uncontested constituency, a sole candidate must win 20 percent of the eligible vote to claim the seat -- and that appeared highly unlikely in dozens of constituencies.

All seats must be filled for a new government to be formed.

In one Bangkok seat, there was no candidate on the ballot -- the unopposed TRT member having been disqualified at the last minute.

In the largely Muslim far south, where telecoms billionaire Thaksin is deeply unpopular, many unopposed TRT hopefuls were likely to fall short of the 20 percent threshold.

Bombs wounded four security men after the polls closed in the region, where more than 1,100 people have been killed in two years of separatist violence many Muslims blame on Thaksin. (Six injured in blasts)

After a non-campaign with no competition and no suspense, Thaksin's party was still expected to get a majority of votes.

Rural Thais -- 70 percent of the 63 million population -- turned out in force to vote for a prime minister who has given them cheap healthcare and credit during his five years in office.

Economic toll

The crisis is taking its toll on the economy, paralyzing business decision-making and sapping the stock market, Southeast Asia's second-worst performer after Malaysia this year.

Thailand has already suspended negotiations on free trade agreements with the United States and Japan.

After saying on Saturday that both sides should "shake hands after the competition ends", Thaksin hinted his patience might not last if the street campaign leaders failed to acknowledge the results of the poll.

"It's time to bring law and order," he told reporters as he drove away from a polling station in a black Mercedes with his children, whose tax-free $1.9 billion sale of the telecoms empire he founded galvanized the opposition movement in January.

Analysts say a one-week post-election break before street protests resume on Friday could provide a cooling-off period for talks between Thaksin and his opponents.

Some voters in Bangkok disagreed. "Most people don't trust elections any more," said businessman Ponganan Limprajikul, 32. "I think there will be more protests. More people will come out to join the protests and they could become more emotional."

CNN.Com

Looks like Thaksin has some even more serious considerations today and tmw ... not just what to try whle no being able to seat Parlaiment ... but ...

Edited April 3, 2006 by jdinasia

[marshbags]

08 30 Now on BBC ASIA UBC the latest on the elections

[sushiman]

Even if Thaksin doesn't get 50%, it still means someone from TRT will become the next PM. That's fine by me, as long as it's not one of those whiners from the opposition that are trying to replace democracy with mob rule.

You still don't get it ?, that the "Mobrule" was Mr. Thaksin himself, when he decided solely himself to stop democracy by stopping any investigating in his case (barely commenting on it as well) and bringing up his own "Snap-Erections" because he thought he was so beloved by the people and could flee the szene, with this stupid trick (as he know they will realected again?). I still don't get why you guys, call this so democratically, if a corrupt party, has it's fingers everywhere and the opposition would have no chance of winning, as clearly they don't have the same money and power to do so. So the Snaperection was his best solution to shut up his critics? He was wrong, as we will see today later, for sure!

Welll I tell you know what the Bangkok People here think about your mobrule:

Upate Nation:

Unofficial results show Thai Rak Thai candidates in Bangkok 'defeated' by 'no-vote' votes

Unofficial results of Sunday election at 6 am on Monday showed that Thai Rak Thai Party candidates in 27 out of 35 Bangkok constituencies received votes less than the votes of abstention.

There are 36 constituencies in Bangkok. But by 6 am Monday, the vote counting in Constituency 24 has done by only five per cent while counting in other constituencies have been completely finished or done by over 90 per cent.

The constituencies, which saw Thai Rak Thai snubbed by voters, were Constituencies 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, and 35.

Source - Nation 03. April 2006

Looks like a 3 or 4 : 1 victory against corruption, and an acknowledgment of the PAD's and Democrats tip to cast "No Votes" I would say!

Mr. Talk-sin will yes introduce a replacement by one of his TRT dummies, as early as tonight I suppose, so bad are the results, that they will have stuff the sinking ship as quick as possible, or esle the captain will not even be saved by a Life raft. But guess for what he will choose the boats himself again? To stop any allegations again from runnning against him.

Keep up your PAD bashing, I guess you never been there, nor do you respect non-govermental, unofficial opinions. Well so it will be as your wish, TRT will place their own PM again, again one of his own decisions, as usual. Monologue(y) instead of Democracy I call his actions.

But for how long, I think TRT the Titanic will be sinking we don't know, for sure the Captain is half under water now and will jump into his life raft and leave the mess he made himself behind

Of course I respect your opinion, but just question your PAD bashing. So my questions for you:

Have you ever been there, and talked to the People of this country, who were worried about Mr. Thaksins political ideas etc.?

And what's your plus for TRT e.g. instead of the Democrats and e.g. Mr. Abhisit? I wonder? Of course TRT are better organziged and much bigger, but guess why?

Nice day

Edited April 3, 2006 by sushiman