The Hindu : International : Thaksin "wins" second term

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Feb 07, 2005

International

International

Thaksin "wins" second term

BANGKOK, JAN. 6. The Thai Prime Minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, today declared he had won an unprecedented second term with what appeared to be a massive mandate in Sunday's general elections. He was propelled by strong support from the rural poor and his adroit handling of the tsunami disaster.

``Even though the numbers are clear that we've won, we still have to wait for the final count for the exact numbers,'' Mr. Thaksin said. ``The numbers are more than enough to establish a one-party government.'' He said ``to be polite'' he would talk to his coalition partner, the Chart Thai party, about the shape of a new government.

Opponents of the strong-willed Prime Minister, who accuse him of seeking dictatorship through the ballot box, all but conceded defeat before the election but had hoped to net at least enough seats to launch motions of no-confidence.

Hopes dashed

Early exit polls showed their hopes had been dashed. One poll showed that Mr. Thaksin's ruling Thai Rak Thai, or Thai Love Thai, party may have captured as many as 399 out of the 500 parliamentary seats up for grabs. Another gave him 340 seats.

Unofficial results were not expected until late Sunday.

Mr. Thaksin said the results would ``give the world confidence that Thailand does not have any political problems, so the next four years, they will look at our policies, and if they can trust our policies, then they can trust Thailand.''

The leader of the main Opposition Democrat party, Banyat Bantadtan, appeared resigned to a defeat.

Corruption

``If it turns out that way (as the polls say), today we will have to congratulate Thai Rak Thai. They will have succeeded. They will have been able to establish a one-party government with a flood of votes,'' he said, inviting other Opposition parties to join him to act as a check on the new government.

The Election Commission conceded over the weekend that the campaign had been riddled with corruption but said it was difficult to catch violators red-handed. An earlier poll estimated that 10 billion baht ($260 millions) had been doled out to buy votes.

Twenty parties fielded 2,289 candidates, but only four or five parties were expected to win seats in the 500-member House of Representatives.

Thai Rak Thai, which Mr. Thaksin created, won 248 seats in its 2001 election debut, and had aimed to capture more than 350 this time.

Mr. Thaksin came under fire last year for alleged cronyism, inept handling of a bird flu outbreak and failure to curb sectarian violence in Thailand's Muslim-dominated south. His intolerance of criticism also raised concern.

But his reaction to the Dec. 26 tsunami was quick and effective, rushing to the scene with Ministers in tow, issuing orders and consoling survivors. Debate about his failings was soon swept off the front pages.

Villagers in the devastated areas lined up to vote at polling booths, often within sight of where their homes once stood and now-dead family members lived. — AP

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