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Thaksin calls mid-term poll

P. S. Suryanarayana

SINGAPORE: Thailand's Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra on Friday called a snap general election, just over a year after winning a massive parliamentary majority, in an effort to ride out the current political crisis over allegations of corruption in a corporate deal.

The Constitutional Court had, only a few days ago, ruled that there was insufficient evidence to investigate the charges that his family might have siphoned off nearly $2 billion by avoiding the payment of capital gains tax on the sale of Shin Corp., which he had founded, to a foreign firm.

However, even as his political critics and protesters drew up plans for a mass rally in Bangkok on Sunday, Mr. Thaksin, who had earlier hinted at the possibility of dissolving the lower House of Parliament, met the King to advise a fresh election.

The election will now be held on April 2.

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