Thaksin mulls future
zTide swings against TRT in Bangkok and South
POST REPORTERS
Caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra is rethinking his future given the trend in yesterday's general election and may let his deputy Pokin Polakul take over as prime minister, a highly-placed source in the Thai Rak Thai party said. Mr Thaksin was reportedly very stressed last night as he watched the vote count swinging in favour of the no-votes in many constituencies in Bangkok and the South.
Early vote tallies indicated the no-vote ballots had outstripped the votes received by Thai Rak Thai candidates.
In many cases, Thai Rak Thai candidates who stood alone in their constituencies appeared to be languishing, unlikely to win 20% of the electorate vote, the legal minimum required to win an uncontested seat.
The source said the rather depressing poll result had forced Mr Thaksin to ponder his political future.
Mr Thaksin abruptly cancelled a scheduled post-election announcement at Thai Rak Thai headquarters last night. He was looking to call it a day and let Mr Pokin take over the prime ministership, the source said. Mr Pokin's legal expertise would come in handy in easing the political stalemate.
The source said some Thai Rak Thai stalwarts wanted Mr Thaksin to give up the prime ministership right away, but others preferred he put off a decision until after the poll result was made official.
Mr Pokin would neither confirm nor deny the possibility. He said only that there were many party members to choose from.
However, another party source said leading party figures such as Sudarat Keyuraphan, Chaturon Chaisaeng and Phinij Jarusombat wanted Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak to succeed Mr Thaksin.
Mr Poking earlier said the government could remain in its caretaking capacity for a year if the political mess is not resolved and the stalemate persists.
Mr Pokin said yesterday that if Thai Rak Thai candidates who stood unchallenged in their constituency did not win their House seat because they failed to get at least 20% of the vote, the Election Commission (EC) must keep holding elections until the minimum vote is met.
If the House is still short of 500 members 30 days after the April 2 elections, the EC had the duty to figure out an appropriate solution, he said.
''If the rule is not observed, what will become of the country?'' he said.
''Is it acceptable for former opposition parties to try to prevent the vote from reaching the 20% requirement to block the House from convening and thus requiring the caretaker government to stay for a year?''
Parinya Thewanaruemitkul, a law lecturer at Thammasat University, said the government would find a way to open the House even without the full complement of 500 representatives.
He believed the sole candidates in 20 or 30 constituencies would not receive 20% of electorate votes.
The People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) shunned the outcome of yesterday's elections and vowed to expand its network across the country to step up pressure on Mr Thaksin.
PAD leader Chamlong Srimuang said the alliance would press on with rallies to shame Mr Thaksin into quitting. PAD would open its rally stage at 6am today.
Somkiart Pongpaiboon, another leader, said PAD would meet tomorrow to discuss strategy and drum up resistance in 36 provinces, with a major rally in Songkhla on April 5.
Democrat secretary-general Suthep Thaugsuban affirmed the party's post-election stand was to proceed with the overthrow of Mr Thaksin. The planting of explosives, dispatching thugs to threaten rivals and election fraud were clear signs that the system introduced by Mr Thaksin was harmful to democracy.
Democrat adviser Banyat Bantadtan said exploiting a loophole in the constitution to form a new government would lead to ''endless demonstrations''.
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