Three separate exit polls are showing a landslide victory to the red shirt-backed opposition in Thailand's landmark election.
The unofficial exit polls by three independent organisations show the opposition Pheu Thai party, allied with ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, winning between 280 and 342 seats.
That well and truly exceeds the minimum needed to govern outright of 251.
According to the exit polls, the incumbent Democrat Party looks like winning between 132 and 153 seats.
The size of the margin, if accurate, would allow Puea Thai to govern on its own without coalition partners and usher in to power Mr Thaksin's sister, Yingluck Shinawatra, a 44-year-old businesswoman campaigning for prime minister.
With polls now closed the official count is underway and there should be a preliminary result from the Election Commission this evening.
Yingluck Shinawatra and Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva have both arrived at their respective party headquarters to await the announcement.
If the opposition wins, Ms Yingluck will become Thailand's first female prime minister.
Polling booths opened in Thailand at 8.00am (local time) and local TV reported that people were queuing from early morning in some areas.
There was a large security presence, with 180,000 police deployed across the country.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has warned Australians to exercise caution if travelling to Thailand due to the possibility of unrest surrounding the election.
Today's poll comes a year after deadly clashes between anti-government protesters and the military in Bangkok. The political environment is still tense.
Don't worry, I'm sure the military will stamp their feet again and send in the tanks because those damn idiot peasants don't get the message...
It would be interesting to see how this play out again.
The military has decleared that it won't launch a counter-coup this time around.
Let him land on any Lyran world to taste firsthand the wrath of peace loving people thwarted by the myopic greed of a few miserly old farts- Katrina Steiner
Counter-coup? You mean, of course, a coup? A military can't "counter-coup", only civilian power can do that.
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Stas Bush wrote:Counter-coup? You mean, of course, a coup? A military can't "counter-coup", only civilian power can do that.
My apologies. I meant a coup.
Let him land on any Lyran world to taste firsthand the wrath of peace loving people thwarted by the myopic greed of a few miserly old farts- Katrina Steiner
PainRack wrote:It would be interesting to see how this play out again.
The military has decleared that it won't launch a counter-coup this time around.
I'll believe it when it doesn't happen.
STGOD: Byzantine Empire Your spirit, diseased as it is, refuses to allow you to give up, no matter what threats you face... and whatever wreckage you leave behind you.
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Simon_Jester wrote:Could someone explain the rights and wrongs of the case, for the benefit of those of us who haven't followed Thai politics?
Preferably several someones, since I'm sure the rights and wrongs can and will be debated...
Well, to hear one side of the story, this is Stuart's account of Thaksin Shinawatra and his political party. I'd be interested to see what others have to say as well.
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Well Thailand has its first Female Prim Minister and there doesn't seem any looming threat of another military uprising. Listening to NPR this morning, one of the concerns is how she will be able to handle herself in the Male dominated Thai Government.
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Crossroads Inc. wrote:Well Thailand has its first Female Prim Minister and there doesn't seem any looming threat of another military uprising. Listening to NPR this morning, one of the concerns is how she will be able to handle herself in the Male dominated Thai Government.
From what I gather, she's understood to be a puppet of her brother, the deposed Shinawatra. So the answer to that question depends on how quickly the military decides that Thaksin is trying to push the government back to where he wants it through the actions of the woman he affectionately refers to as his "clone" and has her removed in the next coup.
At this point, there is probably a lot of pressure from Washington, Beijing and the ASEAN folks for the military and Bangkok old guard to give Yingluck a chance. The last few years have not been very conducive for economics or security cooperation.
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Having very little direct information or context in this case, the world is rife with stories and histories of people, who were considered puppets of others, finding their legs when placed in a position of power and breaking free of their sponsors. I'd say give it some time to find out just what she is really all about.
Prannon wrote:Having very little direct information or context in this case, the world is rife with stories and histories of people, who were considered puppets of others, finding their legs when placed in a position of power and breaking free of their sponsors. I'd say give it some time to find out just what she is really all about.
Unlikely. Thai politics is intrinsically oligarchic.
STGOD: Byzantine Empire Your spirit, diseased as it is, refuses to allow you to give up, no matter what threats you face... and whatever wreckage you leave behind you.
Kreia
Scottish Ninja wrote:Well, to hear one side of the story, this is Stuart's account of Thaksin Shinawatra and his political party. I'd be interested to see what others have to say as well.
Stuart's post was fascinating. Thank you for posting a link to it. I'd love to hear other views as well.
Simon_Jester wrote:Could someone explain the rights and wrongs of the case, for the benefit of those of us who haven't followed Thai politics?
Preferably several someones, since I'm sure the rights and wrongs can and will be debated...
Well, to hear one side of the story, this is Stuart's account of Thaksin Shinawatra and his political party. I'd be interested to see what others have to say as well.
Quite a bit of the supposed anti-monarchist claims about Shinawatra come from Yellow Shirt supporters and media, so I would definitely look at things with a skeptical eye.
You know what's the funniest part? Back during and before and after WWII, the Monarchy was at the mercy of the military. You had a king abdicating, a prince getting shot etc. The only reason why the current king reigned for such a long time is because he cultivated immerse good will amongst the population. Now he is used as a figurehead to whack just about anyone who seems to threaten the old order.
Thai politics needs decades of reform to so much as grant real freedom and rights to people, and there are plenty of people who are deliberate stymieing any form of progress because it serves their purposes to do so.
STGOD: Byzantine Empire Your spirit, diseased as it is, refuses to allow you to give up, no matter what threats you face... and whatever wreckage you leave behind you.
Kreia
Thailand needs a cultural reform that would allow the nation into modernity. However, given the heavy impact of traditionalism and the aforementioned military influence, that is highly unlikely.
I do love the post-Thaksin chaos, though. It shakes up the pond a bit, perhaps we'll see a greater plurality of opinions and some real political activity down the road.
Lì ci sono chiese, macerie, moschee e questure, lì frontiere, prezzi inaccessibile e freddure
Lì paludi, minacce, cecchini coi fucili, documenti, file notturne e clandestini
Qui incontri, lotte, passi sincronizzati, colori, capannelli non autorizzati,
Uccelli migratori, reti, informazioni, piazze di Tutti i like pazze di passioni...
...La tranquillità è importante ma la libertà è tutto!
