The election marked an extraordinary rebuke of the military-backed establishment that deposed Thaksin in a coup five years ago, and the opposition’s strong mandate in Parliament was likely to boost stability in the short-term — a fact reflected in a sharp rise in the Thai stock market on Monday.
Thaksin’s overthrow in 2006 triggered years of political unrest in the Southeast Asian kingdom, including mass street protests launched by Thaksin’s supporters last year that were crushed in a bloody army crackdown.
Defense Minister Gen. Prawit Wongsuwon said the army would accept a government led by Thaksin’s sister, 44-year-old Yingluck Shinawatra, and vowed the military would not stage a coup.
“I’ve said this several times,” Prawit was quoted as saying by several Thai newspapers on Monday. “We are not going to intervene.” Yingluck announced an agreement on Monday to form a five-party coalition government. Her Pheu Thai party won a majority of 265 seats in the 500-seat lower house of Parliament outright, according to preliminary results of Sunday’s polling; Yingluck said the agreement with four minor parties would boost her coalition to 299 seats.
The accord came unusually quickly for Thai politics, where hard bargaining usually takes place over allocation of Cabinet seats. The pact should strengthen Yingluck’s government-to-be, especially if legal challenges under electoral law force some of her party’s lawmakers from their positions.
The army-backed incumbent Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, meanwhile, resigned as leader of the outgoing ruling party, Democrat Party spokesman Buranaj Smutharaks said. The Democrats won 159 seats.
Exiled political analyst Giles Ji Ungpakorn called the election results “a slap in the face for the dictatorship.” “They prove without any doubt that the majority of people have rejected the military, the Democrat party and the royalist elite,” Giles said in Britain.
Yingluck told reporters that the first mission of her administration would be: “How to lead the country to unity and reconciliation.” “I myself, and Pheu Thai, are determined to serve the nation,” Yingluck said, adding that her government would boost transparency and fight corruption.
Thaksin, her billionaire brother, was convicted of graft and lives in exile in Dubai to escape a two-year-prison sentence. Thaksin says the charges are politically motivated.
Speaking in Dubai on Monday, Thaksin hailed the electoral result.
“The Thai people spoke. They told the world, the whole country ... (that) the last five years, the country has gone nowhere.” “It’s very clear,” he said of those who cast ballots, “that they want to see reconciliation in the country, the end of the conflict ... it will be a big challenge for Pheu Thai.” Thaksin said he would stay in Dubai for the time being “doing business,” and if his sister’s party needs advice, he will give it. “If they don’t need, I don't have to worry. The Thai people will be in good hands.” Asked about his return to politics, Thaksin said, “I may be too old ... I really want to retire.” Thaksin and his proxies have won the country’s last four elections. By contrast, the Democrat party — backed by big business, the military and circles around the royal palace — has not won a popular vote since 1992.
