The People's Power Party (PPP), the proxy party of ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, emerged with the highest number of seats in Thailand's general election today, handing a severe blow to the military which 15 months ago staged the country's 18th coup in 75 years.
The party won a total of 228 seats, comprising 194 constituencies and 34 party-list seats, which, however, fell short of the 241 required to form a new government on its own. It is now seeking out other parties to join it in forming a coalition government.
The Election Commission of Thailand (ECT) chairman Apichart Sukhagganond said the country's oldest party, the Democrats, won 133 constituency and 33 party-list seats for its best-ever showing of 166 seats.
Chart Thai, which is likely to decide which party forms the next government, won a total of 39 seats, followed by the military-linked Puea Paendin with 26, Ruam Jai Thai Chat 10, Matchima seven and Pracharaj Party four out of the 480 seats at stake.
Apichart said the results were based on the 93.11 percent of votes counted as at 10.15pm but assured that the outcome (of the election) would not be affected once all ballots are counted.
He said that a total of 29.34 million voters, or 59.9 percent of the over 45 million eligible voters turned-up for the election, which was called by the military-installed government with the aim of restoring democracy, as well as keeping Thaksin out of power.
Asked why the voter-turnout was lower than the government's target of 70 percent, he said it could be due to people being tired of intense politicking in the country, which has seen four elections in a space of seven years.
The PPP was formed by Thaksin supporters after his Thai Rak Thai party was dissolved by the court in May and all its 111 executives banned from politics for five years.Thaksin, who is facing numerous corruption and power abuse charges, monitored the election from Hong Kong.
Former deputy prime minister and Bangkok Governor, Samak Sundaravej said that the PPP was willing to work with other parties to form a coalition government, an offer rejected by Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva who could become the prime minister himself if all the other parties abandon the PPP and join his coalition.
The PPP has already warned of attempts by some influential people and the military to stop them from forming the government and is wary of the investigations to be conducted by the ECT on over 170 cases of poll irregularities.Under Thai election law, ECT has 30 days to scrutinise all candidates before announcing the official results.
The party won a total of 228 seats, comprising 194 constituencies and 34 party-list seats, which, however, fell short of the 241 required to form a new government on its own. It is now seeking out other parties to join it in forming a coalition government.
The Election Commission of Thailand (ECT) chairman Apichart Sukhagganond said the country's oldest party, the Democrats, won 133 constituency and 33 party-list seats for its best-ever showing of 166 seats.
Chart Thai, which is likely to decide which party forms the next government, won a total of 39 seats, followed by the military-linked Puea Paendin with 26, Ruam Jai Thai Chat 10, Matchima seven and Pracharaj Party four out of the 480 seats at stake.
Apichart said the results were based on the 93.11 percent of votes counted as at 10.15pm but assured that the outcome (of the election) would not be affected once all ballots are counted.
He said that a total of 29.34 million voters, or 59.9 percent of the over 45 million eligible voters turned-up for the election, which was called by the military-installed government with the aim of restoring democracy, as well as keeping Thaksin out of power.
Asked why the voter-turnout was lower than the government's target of 70 percent, he said it could be due to people being tired of intense politicking in the country, which has seen four elections in a space of seven years.
The PPP was formed by Thaksin supporters after his Thai Rak Thai party was dissolved by the court in May and all its 111 executives banned from politics for five years.Thaksin, who is facing numerous corruption and power abuse charges, monitored the election from Hong Kong.
Former deputy prime minister and Bangkok Governor, Samak Sundaravej said that the PPP was willing to work with other parties to form a coalition government, an offer rejected by Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva who could become the prime minister himself if all the other parties abandon the PPP and join his coalition.
The PPP has already warned of attempts by some influential people and the military to stop them from forming the government and is wary of the investigations to be conducted by the ECT on over 170 cases of poll irregularities.Under Thai election law, ECT has 30 days to scrutinise all candidates before announcing the official results.
