Yingluck forms coalition as army accepts verdict
Source: Agencies |
July 5, 2011, Tuesday
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THAILAND'S military eased concerns of renewed turmoil yesterday by accepting the sweeping electoral win of toppled ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra's party, while his sister vowed to reconcile the deeply divided nation as its first female prime minister.
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 yesterday.
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.
Defense Minister General 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 yesterday. "We are not going to intervene."
Yingluck announced an agreement 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.
Resigned as leader
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.
Yingluck told reporters in Bangkok 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 to escape a two-year prison sentence. Thaksin says the charges are politically motivated.
In Dubai, Thaksin hailed the result. "The Thai people spoke," he said. "They told the world, the whole country ... (that) the last five years, the country has gone nowhere."
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. 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.
Yingluck said her coalition would be joined by Chart Pattana Thai, with 19 seats in preliminary results; Chart Pattana Puea Pandin, with 7 seats; Palang Chon, 7; and Mahachon, 1.
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 yesterday.
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.
Defense Minister General 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 yesterday. "We are not going to intervene."
Yingluck announced an agreement 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.
Resigned as leader
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.
Yingluck told reporters in Bangkok 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 to escape a two-year prison sentence. Thaksin says the charges are politically motivated.
In Dubai, Thaksin hailed the result. "The Thai people spoke," he said. "They told the world, the whole country ... (that) the last five years, the country has gone nowhere."
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. 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.
Yingluck said her coalition would be joined by Chart Pattana Thai, with 19 seats in preliminary results; Chart Pattana Puea Pandin, with 7 seats; Palang Chon, 7; and Mahachon, 1.
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