Senate winners remain in limbo

Senate winners remain in limbo

BANGKOK (AP): The outcome of landmark Senate elections remained in limbo on Wednesday as election authorities delayed announcing official results, scrutinizing each seat for signs of cheating.

The election for 200 senators was the first held under a reform-oriented constitution aimed at cleaning up rampant corruption in Thai politics, and the Election Commission overseeing the polls was trying on Wednesday to exercise its new powers.

Officials said they would not announce the results until they had recounted ballots and screened which of the winners in Saturday's polling had won honestly and which showed signs of cheating.

Election officials said new votes could be held in provinces where seats were judged to have been won through vote-buying or other fraud, but it was unclear what threshold of proof would be applied.