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Thai parties in coalition talks Thai parties in coalition talks
(about 5 hours later)
Rival political parties in Thailand have begun what could be protracted negotiations to form a coalition government after the general election. Rival Thai political parties have begun what could be protracted negotiations to form a coalition government.
The People Power Party (PPP), allied to ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra, has won most seats but lacks an absolute majority.The People Power Party (PPP), allied to ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra, has won most seats but lacks an absolute majority.
The next three biggest parties have ruled out joining the PPP in a coalition for the time being. Other parties may be under pressure from the military not to join a PPP government, or they may be holding out to negotiate better cabinet positions. Analysts say the PPP's success shows a public rejection of the 2006 military coup which ousted Mr Thaksin.
Analysts say the result highlights a rejection by rural voters of the 2006 military coup which ousted Mr Thaksin. Full official results from Sunday's poll are due later on Monday, but unofficial figures show the PPP has won 228 seats in the 480-seat house.
Full official results from Sunday's poll are due later on Monday but indications are the PPP has won 228 seats in the 480-seat house.
Vote-rigging probeVote-rigging probe
Short of the 241 needed for an outright win, PPP leader Samak Sundaravej is now attempting to woo potential coalition partners. The PPP celebrated its success on Sunday night, with leader Samak Sundaravej saying: "I will be the next prime minister for sure."
There is still plenty of room for mischief. Other groups, including the military, must abide by the election decision Bangkok Post editorial Key election figuresThailand's turbulent year
"I will be the next prime minister for sure. I invite all the parties to join our government," he said.
He added that Mr Thaksin had congratulated him in a telephone call from Hong Kong.He added that Mr Thaksin had congratulated him in a telephone call from Hong Kong.
But an official investigation is afoot into allegations of vote-rigging, which could lead to the PPP losing seats. But the party is 13 seats short of the 241 needed for an outright win, voting figures suggest. An official investigation is under way into allegations of vote-rigging, which could lead to the PPP losing more seats.
Its main rival, the Democrat Party, is set to win 166 seats. Mr Samak is now attempting to woo potential coalition partners.
The Democrats' leader, Abhisit Vejjajiva, said his party was ready to serve as the opposition but was ready to form its own coalition if the PPP failed to do so. There is still plenty of room for mischief. Other groups, including the military, must abide by the election decision Bangkok Post editorial class="" href="/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7151412.stm">Key election figures class="" href="/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7154296.stm">Thailand's turbulent year
The next two biggest parties - Chart Thai (Thai Nation) and Peau Pandin (Motherland) - appear set to win 65 seats between them and could prove crucial. "I invite all the parties to join our government," he said.
They said they would act together and take their time reaching a decision on other possible alliances. The PPP's main rival, the Democrat Party, looks set to win 166 seats.
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 class="" href="/1/hi/in_pictures/7158204.stm">In pictures: Thailand votes class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?forumID=3976&edition=1">Send us your comments The Democrats' leader, Abhisit Vejjajiva, said his party was ready to serve as the opposition.
Hostility to the PPP, and its promise to bring Mr Thaksin back from exile, runs high in the military and bureaucratic elite that aligns itself closely with the monarchy, and among much of Bangkok's middle class. But he also said he was ready to form a coalition if the PPP failed to do so.
The BBC's Jonathan Head in the Thai capital says the PPP could be kept from office if the Democrats succeed in cobbling together a coalition. If all the smaller parties join with the Democrats, they could theoretically block the PPP from taking office.
But whatever multi-party government emerges could well prove weak and short-lived, he adds. So the decisions made by the next two parties - Chart Thai (Thai Nation) and Peau Pandin (Motherland) - could prove crucial.
In Thailand's system, parliament must meet within 30 days of the election and then has a month to elect a prime minister. They appear set to win 65 seats between them, and have said they will act together and take their time reaching a decision on possible alliances.
Analysts say that these parties are likely to be under pressure not to join the PPP 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 December 2007: Election held In pictures: Thailand votesSend us your comments The current military rulers have made no secret of their dislike of the PPP - which was formed by lawmakers from Mr Thaksin's party, Thai Rak Thai, and has adopted his populist platform.
Mr Samak has even said he is running as Mr Thaksin's proxy.
Under Thailand's constitution the parliament must be decided within 30 days of the election, and it then has a month to elect a prime minister.
The Bangkok Post said in an editorial: "There is still plenty of room for mischief. Other groups, including the military, must abide by the election decision."The Bangkok Post said in an editorial: "There is still plenty of room for mischief. Other groups, including the military, must abide by the election decision."
The PPP - seen as a reincarnation of Mr Thaksin's Thai Rak Thai party - focused on the poor, rural vote, while the Democrats relied on the middle-class urban vote. Future unclear
Since the coup of September 2006, Mr Thaksin, now banned from Thai politics, has lived in self-imposed exile abroad, mainly in Britain. While the eventual outcome of the election is uncertain, it is already clear that the Thai electorate is polarised into two camps.
If he does return to Thailand, as his allies want, Mr Thaksin will have to answer a number of corruption charges levelled against him in the courts. The rural poor back Mr Thaksin's allies as they did Mr Thaksin himself, while Bangkok's middle classes and the bureaucratic elite are hostile to the PPP and are much more likely to back the Democrats.
The coup of September 2006, and the military-appointed government that followed it, have failed to get rid of the spectre of Mr Thaksin from the country's political scene.
The former prime minister is wanted by the courts on corruption charges, and has been banned from politics for five years.
Since the coup he has been living in exile, mostly in the UK, where he bought Manchester City football club.
But if the PPP forms the next government, it has already said he could be back in Thailand by February.