Contenders neck and neck prior to Thai poll<\/p>\n
BANGKOK (Reuter): The two leading contenders for Thailand's
\ntop political job are neck-and-neck ahead of the Nov. 17 general
\nelection, opinion polls showed yesterday, as the candidates
\ngeared up for one last crucial debate.<\/p>\n
Public opinion polls yesterday showed Chavalit Yongchaiyudh,
\nthe leader of News Aspiration Party (NAP), and former premier and
\nDemocrat Party chief Chuan Leekpai in a close race for Sunday's
\nelection.<\/p>\n
The two are due to meet in a nationally-televised debate
\ntoday, which organizers say could be a key to victory.<\/p>\n
The 80-minute debate adopts the \"town hall\" format used in the
\nUnited States and Chavalit and Chuan will be asked questions from
\nthe floor, moderator Chermsak Phinthong told reporters.<\/p>\n
This debate, the last of a series of encounters between the
\ncandidates, is seen as the crucial one since opinion polls show
\nvoters want a leader who appears to be honest and has a sharp
\nwit. A total of 26 percent of Thailand's urban voters say they
\nare still undecided on what candidate or party to choose.<\/p>\n
A private survey conducted by the Ministry of the Interior,
\ntraditionally seen as an accurate representation of actual poll
\nresults, shows the NAP and Democrat party emerging from the poll
\nwith 127 seats each in the 393-seat lower House.<\/p>\n
A total of 2,310 candidates from 13 parties are vying for the
\nseats in the upcoming poll.<\/p>\n
\"So the debate is set to be a very crucial opportunity for
\nboth parties to woo undecided voters,\" Chermsak said.<\/p>\n
A joint poll made by Matichon newspaper, INN news agency and
\nChannel Three Television published yesterday said the Democrats
\nshould win 139 seats and the NAP will come in second with 119.<\/p>\n
A poll in the Nation newspaper projects the NAP to win with
\n124 seats and the Democrats to take 122.<\/p>\n
A single party has never won a majority but traditionally the
\nparty with the most seats ends up forming a coalition.<\/p>\n
Caretaker prime minister Banharn Silpa-archa, who ended the
\n14-month rule of his coalition government when he dissolved the
\nhouse on Sept. 27 and called fresh elections, was not invited to
\njoin the debate because he lags in polls.<\/p>\n
Former prime minister Chatichai Choonhavan, leader of the
\nChart Pattana Party, was also omitted from the debate because he
\nis not seen as a front-runner.<\/p>\n
Several countries, including the United States and Cambodia,
\nhave asked to observe the election, officials said.<\/p>\n
\"They do not intend to look at vote-buying or the killing of
\ncanvassers, but at our precise election process,\" Deputy Interior
\nMinister Arsa Meksawan said on Monday.<\/p>\n
The election has been deemed the \"most violent in years\" by a
\nprivate poll research agency due to blatant vote-buying by
\npolitical parties, political assassinations and other electoral
\nlaw violations.<\/p>\n
At least 17 people have been attacked and seven of them shot
\ndead by unidentified gunmen since the campaign began, police
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Politicians will likely spend 20 billion baht (US$800 million)
\nduring the campaign, and a large percentage of this is earmarked
\nfor vote buying, Thai Farmers Bank Research said recently.<\/p>",
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