Has PPP won the election?
Dec 22nd, 2007, 11:34 PM
#1
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Has PPP won the election?
not to bring up a heated debate, but I think it's really interesting the way the exit polls are shaping up:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071223/...iland_election
i've always got the sense that the people in thailand (especially bangkok) weren't ever necessarily against thaksin and that the 2006 coup was more a military power-play. guess the polls really speak for themselves.
i'm relatively new to thai politics, and I'm curious to know what people closer to the situation thinkg, but i find all of this really fascinating. what are your thoughts?
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071223/...iland_election
i've always got the sense that the people in thailand (especially bangkok) weren't ever necessarily against thaksin and that the 2006 coup was more a military power-play. guess the polls really speak for themselves.
i'm relatively new to thai politics, and I'm curious to know what people closer to the situation thinkg, but i find all of this really fascinating. what are your thoughts?
Dec 23rd, 2007, 12:15 AM
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It looks as if the PPP party has won the majority(official counting will go on for a day or two more) and thus will be able to form the next government. The head of the party is quite a character with a very colourful past but everybody knows that he's just a puppet. The result was expected but the future in uncertain.
The votes show a split in the country with the North and Northeastern provinces(the stronghold of the former TRT party) voting for the PPP while Bangkok and the South voted for the other parties.
With this result it will be a tense time in the country pitting Royalist with the PPP. The last coup was not a power play by the military and I'm not saying anymore.
The votes show a split in the country with the North and Northeastern provinces(the stronghold of the former TRT party) voting for the PPP while Bangkok and the South voted for the other parties.
With this result it will be a tense time in the country pitting Royalist with the PPP. The last coup was not a power play by the military and I'm not saying anymore.
Dec 24th, 2007, 06:56 AM
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The PPP has substantially more seats than any other single party, but they do <b>not</b> have a majority of seats. In most parliamentary-based systems, that would usually mean that the PPP would form a coalition with one or more other parties and form a government. Thailand, however, is a place where unusual things sometime happen, however. I would expect a significant amount of maneuvering to go on, mostly behind the scenes.
Now, in the event that a certain individual, one to whom I understood Hanuman allude, is no longer on the scene, then all bets would definitely be off.
Now, in the event that a certain individual, one to whom I understood Hanuman allude, is no longer on the scene, then all bets would definitely be off.
Dec 24th, 2007, 07:02 AM
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I read a really interesting biography of Taksin a few years ago. Definitely someone who seems to have done a huge amount of good for the rural poor but at the expense of lots of civil rights and the urbanites felt that the most and objected the most. A real mixed bag. Obviously plenty of corruption but then as an American where corruption and politics go hand in hand that seems the least of his problems -- I'm praying that my governor will be indicted and thrown out of office as early in 2008 as possible. 
Dec 24th, 2007, 06:08 PM
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Hey Gloria,
Do you really think they can put our illustrious Gov Blago in a stripe suit!!!??? I hope so too.
On the Thailand vote, I had a cab driver tell me that he thought about 60% of the people were for Taksin and would hope that he could come back. Just the cabbie's take on things. I thought it was an interesting comment.
Carol
Do you really think they can put our illustrious Gov Blago in a stripe suit!!!??? I hope so too.
On the Thailand vote, I had a cab driver tell me that he thought about 60% of the people were for Taksin and would hope that he could come back. Just the cabbie's take on things. I thought it was an interesting comment.
Carol
Dec 24th, 2007, 07:37 PM
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Taksin put a lot of [government] money in the pockets of the rural poor. That's what "bought" their loyalty in this election. Whether or not that has really done them any good is, IMO, highly debatable.
