This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7158354.stm
The article has changed 9 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Thaksin ally claims Thai poll win | Thaksin ally claims Thai poll win |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| The leader of the party allied to Thailand's ousted PM Thaksin Shinawatra has claimed victory in the nation's general election. | The leader of the party allied to Thailand's ousted PM Thaksin Shinawatra has claimed victory in the nation's general election. |
| Samak Sundaravej said his People Power Party (PPP) would form the next government, though partial results show it is short of an outright majority. | Samak Sundaravej said his People Power Party (PPP) would form the next government, though partial results show it is short of an outright majority. |
| The election is the first since the 2006 coup that overthrew Mr Thaksin. | The election is the first since the 2006 coup that overthrew Mr Thaksin. |
| Correspondents say a PPP win would be a big setback to the military, which has tried to counter Mr Thaksin's allies. | Correspondents say a PPP win would be a big setback to the military, which has tried to counter Mr Thaksin's allies. |
| Phone call | |
| Full results are expected by about midnight (1700 GMT). | Full results are expected by about midnight (1700 GMT). |
| But Mr Samak, 72, said: "I will be the next prime minister for sure." | But Mr Samak, 72, said: "I will be the next prime minister for sure." |
| He said that the PPP might be "only 10 seats short of a majority", adding: "I invite all the parties to join our government." | He said that the PPP might be "only 10 seats short of a majority", adding: "I invite all the parties to join our government." |
| POST-COUP TIMELINE September 2006: Coup overthrows Thaksin ShinawatraOctober 2006: Retired General Surayud Chulanont is appointed interim leaderMay 2007: Court bans Mr Thaksin from politics for five years, and dissolves his partyAugust 2007: Voters approve a new constitution 23 December 2007: Election held Key election figuresThailand's turbulent yearProfile: Thaksin ShinawatraIn pictures: Thailand votes | |
| A total of 241 seats are needed for a majority in the 480-seat house. | A total of 241 seats are needed for a majority in the 480-seat house. |
| Thai media reports said the PPP was on course to win 220-230 seats. | |
| Mr Samak said he had spoken to Mr Thaksin, who is in Hong Kong, by telephone. | |
| "Thaksin said 'congratulations'," Mr Samak said. | |
| Election monitors said that voting had mostly proceeded smoothly and been well-organised, despite complaints of vote-buying and other irregularities. | |
| The BBC's Jonathan Head says that if the PPP has not won an outright majority, there will be considerable pressure on smaller parties to form a coalition with the PPP's main rival, the Democrats. | |
| But he says this could lead to further instability as a multi-party government could well prove weak and short-lived. | |
| Mr Thaksin himself has been in exile since the coup, and he and his Thai Rak Thai party were banned from politics by the military government. |