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Thai PM wins boost in first polls
Source: Agencies |
January 13, 2009, Tuesday
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THAI Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva received welcome news from weekend by-elections that increased his parliamentary majority by 11 seats to 48, election officials said yesterday.
The Election Commission said Abhisit's coalition, led by his Democrat party, picked up 20 seats in Sunday's run-off. The opposition Puea Thai party and its allies only gained nine seats.
The by-elections were to replace 29 MPs banned from politics for five years by a December 2 court ruling that dissolved the previous People Power Party-led administration for vote fraud.
Results were broadly in line with expectations, although analysts had expected Puea Thai, the PPP's substitute, to fare slightly better and gain 11 seats.
Speaking earlier to reporters, Abhisit urged all members of parliament to focus on efforts to revive an economy teetering on the brink of recession.
"We want the conflicts to end and to give the government a chance to work and fix the economy quickly," he said.
Even though the parliamentary numbers now look slightly stronger for Abhisit, analysts said the results could weaken his hand within the coalition since the gains were notched up by allies, not by his Democrat party.
"There are two margins here ?? the margin of the coalition over the opposition, and the margin (of the Democrats) within the coalition," said Thitinan Pongsudhirak from Bangkok's Chulalongkorn University.
The Election Commission said Abhisit's coalition, led by his Democrat party, picked up 20 seats in Sunday's run-off. The opposition Puea Thai party and its allies only gained nine seats.
The by-elections were to replace 29 MPs banned from politics for five years by a December 2 court ruling that dissolved the previous People Power Party-led administration for vote fraud.
Results were broadly in line with expectations, although analysts had expected Puea Thai, the PPP's substitute, to fare slightly better and gain 11 seats.
Speaking earlier to reporters, Abhisit urged all members of parliament to focus on efforts to revive an economy teetering on the brink of recession.
"We want the conflicts to end and to give the government a chance to work and fix the economy quickly," he said.
Even though the parliamentary numbers now look slightly stronger for Abhisit, analysts said the results could weaken his hand within the coalition since the gains were notched up by allies, not by his Democrat party.
"There are two margins here ?? the margin of the coalition over the opposition, and the margin (of the Democrats) within the coalition," said Thitinan Pongsudhirak from Bangkok's Chulalongkorn University.
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