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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| First post-coup vote in Thailand | First post-coup vote in Thailand |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| People in Thailand are voting in the first general election since the military coup that overthrew Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra last year. | People in Thailand are voting in the first general election since the military coup that overthrew Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra last year. |
| Mr Thaksin is in exile and has been banned from politics but a new party set up by his followers has been leading in the opinion polls. | |
| Analysts say all eyes will be on the military should the party win outright. | Analysts say all eyes will be on the military should the party win outright. |
| The army insists the election is restoring democracy. | The army insists the election is restoring democracy. |
| A total of 480 parliamentary seats are being contested, under the new constitution introduced in August. | |
| Polling stations opened at 0800 local time (0100 GMT) on Sunday, with unofficial results expected by midnight (1700 GMT) on Sunday. A turnout of about 70% is predicted. | |
| The Election Commission has already received hundreds of complaints about alleged election fraud, mostly related to vote-buying. | |
| The night before elections in Thailand is known as the "night of the howling dogs", because canvassers knock on doors in rural parts to offer cash for votes. | |
| Appeal to loyalists | |
| The BBC's Jonathan Head in Bangkok says there are fears of another military intervention if the new party allied to Mr Thaksin, the People Power Party (PPP), wins enough seats to form a government. | |
| Maybe the single greatest wish is that the military will really return to the barracks Bangkok Post Rocky road to democracy | |
| Gen Sonthi Boonyaratglin, who deposed Mr Thaksin in September 2006 to become deputy prime minister in an interim government that he appointed, urged Thais to vote for "good people loyal" to the monarchy. | Gen Sonthi Boonyaratglin, who deposed Mr Thaksin in September 2006 to become deputy prime minister in an interim government that he appointed, urged Thais to vote for "good people loyal" to the monarchy. |
| None of the PPP's rivals, many of whom were only formed after the coup, have managed to rival Mr Thaksin's populist appeal in the countryside and among the urban poor, says our correspondent. | |
| The PPP's right-wing leader Samak Sundaravej, 72, says Mr Thaksin, who still faces a number of corruption charges, will return to Thailand from self-imposed exile in the UK after the election. | The PPP's right-wing leader Samak Sundaravej, 72, says Mr Thaksin, who still faces a number of corruption charges, will return to Thailand from self-imposed exile in the UK after the election. |
| Considered a reincarnation of Mr Thaksin's outlawed Thai Rak Thai Party, the PPP is ahead in opinion polls, but analysts say it is likely to fall short of an absolute majority. | Considered a reincarnation of Mr Thaksin's outlawed Thai Rak Thai Party, the PPP is ahead in opinion polls, but analysts say it is likely to fall short of an absolute majority. |
| If that happens a period of bargaining with other parties over a coalition is expected. | If that happens a period of bargaining with other parties over a coalition is expected. |
| History of coups | |
| The PPP's main rival is the Democrat Party, headed by 43-year-old film star Abhisit Vejajjiva, which has strong support among the urban middle class. | The PPP's main rival is the Democrat Party, headed by 43-year-old film star Abhisit Vejajjiva, which has strong support among the urban middle class. |
| Thaksin Shinawatra is expected to be a key player after the election | |
| The English-born Mr Abhisit has said Mr Thaksin should return to face corruption charges. | |
| Mr Thaksin, a one-time telecoms billionaire, lives in London and owns the Manchester City football club. | |
| Many voters queuing to cast ballots in Bangkok were wearing yellow or pink shirts in honour of the nation's revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej. | Many voters queuing to cast ballots in Bangkok were wearing yellow or pink shirts in honour of the nation's revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej. |
| Housewife Somjit Hongthong, 53, told AFP news agency: "I'm glad we're having this election today, so we can hold our heads high to show the rest of the world that we are a democratic country." | Housewife Somjit Hongthong, 53, told AFP news agency: "I'm glad we're having this election today, so we can hold our heads high to show the rest of the world that we are a democratic country." |
| The polls are being guarded by thousands of troops, most of them in the Muslim-majority south of the country, where an insurgency has claimed hundreds of lives. | The polls are being guarded by thousands of troops, most of them in the Muslim-majority south of the country, where an insurgency has claimed hundreds of lives. |
| Last year's coup was the 18th in 75 years of on-and-off democracy. | Last year's coup was the 18th in 75 years of on-and-off democracy. |
| "Maybe the single greatest wish is that the military will really return to the barracks and not seek to retain some measure of control over Government House," the Bangkok Post said in an editorial. |