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| Thai PPP seeks coalition allies | Thai PPP seeks coalition allies |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| The party allied to Thailand's ousted PM Thaksin Shinawatra has called for other parties to join it in government after claiming victory in the election. | The party allied to Thailand's ousted PM Thaksin Shinawatra has called for other parties to join it in government after claiming victory in the election. |
| Full official results are due on Monday but indications are that the People Power Party (PPP) won 228 seats in the 480-seat house. | Full official results are due on Monday but indications are that the People Power Party (PPP) won 228 seats in the 480-seat house. |
| Short of the 241 needed for an absolute majority, PPP leader Samak Sundaravej invited potential coalition partners. | Short of the 241 needed for an absolute majority, PPP leader Samak Sundaravej invited potential coalition partners. |
| 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 the result is a big setback for the military, which has tried to curb Mr Thaksin's influence. | Correspondents say the result is a big setback for the military, which has tried to curb Mr Thaksin's influence. |
| 'Close race' | 'Close race' |
| The Election Commission said virtually all votes had been counted and the situation would now not change greatly. | The Election Commission said virtually all votes had been counted and the situation would now not change greatly. |
| I will be the next prime minister for sure. I invite all the parties to join our government Samak Sundaravej Key election figuresThailand's turbulent year | I will be the next prime minister for sure. I invite all the parties to join our government Samak Sundaravej Key election figuresThailand's turbulent year |
| The PPP's main rival, the Democrat Party, is set to win 166 seats and Chart Thai 39. | The PPP's main rival, the Democrat Party, is set to win 166 seats and Chart Thai 39. |
| Mr Samak, 72, claimed victory, saying: "I will be the next prime minister for sure." | Mr Samak, 72, claimed victory, saying: "I will be the next prime minister for sure." |
| He added: "I invite all the parties to join our government." | He added: "I invite all the parties to join our government." |
| The leader of the Democrat Party, Abhisit Vejjajiva, said the election had been a "close race". | The leader of the Democrat Party, Abhisit Vejjajiva, said the election had been a "close race". |
| "If the PPP succeeds in forming a coalition, the Democrat Party is ready to become the opposition. If the PPP fails, then the Democrat Party is ready to form its own coalition," he said. | "If the PPP succeeds in forming a coalition, the Democrat Party is ready to become the opposition. If the PPP fails, then the Democrat Party is ready to form its own coalition," he said. |
| The BBC's Jonathan Head in Bangkok says if there is a coalition, the resulting multi-party government could well prove weak and short-lived. | The BBC's Jonathan Head in Bangkok says if there is a coalition, the resulting multi-party government could well prove weak and short-lived. |
| 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 December 2007: Election held In pictures: Thailand votesSend us your comments | |
| Mr Samak said he had spoken to Mr Thaksin, who is in Hong Kong, by telephone. | Mr Samak said he had spoken to Mr Thaksin, who is in Hong Kong, by telephone. |
| "Thaksin said 'congratulations'," Mr Samak said. | "Thaksin said 'congratulations'," Mr Samak said. |
| The PPP leader added: "This is a victory for all Thai people who unreasonably lost their freedom on 19 September." | The PPP leader added: "This is a victory for all Thai people who unreasonably lost their freedom on 19 September." |
| That was the date in 2006 when the military removed Mr Thaksin and his Thai Rak Thai party from power. | That was the date in 2006 when the military removed Mr Thaksin and his Thai Rak Thai party from power. |
| Mr Thaksin, who is now banned from Thai politics, has since lived in self-imposed exile abroad, mainly in Britain. | Mr Thaksin, who is now banned from Thai politics, has since lived in self-imposed exile abroad, mainly in Britain. |
| But his allies have promised he would return and that the five-year political ban on him would be overturned. | But his allies have promised he would return and that the five-year political ban on him would be overturned. |
| If he does return to Thailand, Mr Thaksin will have to answer a number of corruption charges levelled against him in the courts. | If he does return to Thailand, Mr Thaksin will have to answer a number of corruption charges levelled against him in the courts. |
| Election monitors said voting had mostly proceeded smoothly and been well-organised, despite complaints of vote-buying and other irregularities. | Election monitors said voting had mostly proceeded smoothly and been well-organised, despite complaints of vote-buying and other irregularities. |
| The PPP has concentrated mainly on the poor, rural vote that buoyed Mr Thaksin, while the Democrats have relied on the middle-class urban vote. | The PPP has concentrated mainly on the poor, rural vote that buoyed Mr Thaksin, while the Democrats have relied on the middle-class urban vote. |