Democrats lose lead to NAP in Thai elections
Democrats lose lead to NAP in Thai elections
BANGKOK (Agencies): The New Aspiration Party (NAP) of Defense Minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh edged past the Democrat Party which had earlier led in unofficial television and radio projections of the Thai elections yesterday.
Official Radio Thailand and the Channel 7 television station put the NAP slightly ahead of the Democrat Party of former premier Chuan Leekpai based on vote counts about 4-1/2 hours after polls closed.
Three television stations had given the Democrat Party the edge over the NAP in initial projections about 90 minutes after the polls closed.
Radio Thailand projected the NAP would win 127 seats in the 393-seat parliament against 124 for the Democrats. Channel 7 television gave the NAP 125 and the Democrats 124 seats but Channel 9 television said the NAP was set to win 125 seats to the Democrats 126.
The NAP and the Democrats were seen running neck and neck even before polling closed for the Thai election, said by analysts to be the most violent and dirty in two decades.
The election watchdog Pollwatch said seven people had been killed in election-related violence since the campaign began and up to 30 billion baht ($1.2 billion) had been spent by politicians on campaigns and vote-buying.
The leaders of the two front-running parties, one of which is expected by analysts to be the core of a new coalition government, were unavailable for immediate comment.
An estimated 60 percent of Thailand's 38-million strong Thai electorate cast their ballots in the country's second elections in 16 months against a backdrop of widespread reports of vote- buying and strong arm tactics by canvassers.
Competition for the 1996 general elections, which followed the collapse of the previous government of Banharn Silpa-archa, has been furious, fuelling rampant vote-buying and poll-related violence.
Top issues in this election have been Thailand's faltering economy and demands for political reform after Banharn's scandal- plagued administration.
Voters interviewed by AFP at polling stations in Bangkok yesterday also assailed vote-buying. "It is not good because it means the bad guys will get into the cabinet," said Vichai Jurarat, a 64-year-old merchant.
The Thai Farmers Bank Research Department has estimated that 20 billion baht (US$800 million) would be illegally distributed to voters.
Central bank figures meanwhile showed cash in circulation to be some 50 billion baht higher than the same period last year.
More than half a dozen political canvassers have been murdered and several more shot, while reports yesterday said many members of independent election monitors PollWatch in the northeast had resigned following death threats.
In Bangkok yesterday a voter and a policeman were wounded when two gunmen opened fire at a polling station, a police spokesman said. The gunmen were later arrested.
Police said there was no immediate explanation of the incident, but Thai television reports said the two had confessed they were trying to influence voters in favor of an unnamed candidate.
A total of 2,310 candidates from 13 parties were contending for seats in the lower house of parliament.
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