Exit polls indicate pro-Thaksin party lead in Thai election
{{date|December 23, 2007}}
[[Image:Thai general election 2007 04.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Polling station in [[w:Uttaradit Province|Uttaradit Province]], Thailand on December 23, 2007. {{Image source|[[Commons:User:Tevaprapas|Tevaprapas]]}}]]
Initial [[w:exit polls|exit polls]] for [[Thailand]]'s [[w:general election|general election]] suggest the [[w:People Power Party (Thailand)|People Power Party]] (PPP), allied with the former Prime Minister [[Thaksin Shinawatra]], has a clear lead. The poll predicted the party would win 202 out of the total of 480 seats, although a survey by Suan Dusit Rajabhat University suggested the party may win as many as 256 seats.

In September 2006 a bloodless military coup overthrew [[w:Thaksin Shinawatra|Shinawatra]]. Following the coup,  [[w:Thai Rak Thai|Thai Rak Thai]]—Thaksin's party—was disbanded amid corruption allegations. With the coup timed such that Prime Minister was in New York, he went into self-imposed exile in the [[United Kingdom|UK]].  His supporters, who were not banned from politics, formed the People Power Party. They have benefited from Thaksin's popularity in rural areas.

If the lower prediction of 202 seats is correct it is possible that the People Power Party will not form a government. According to a Reuters report in the [[w:Washington Post|Washington Post]] the caretaker government and military leaders are likely to oppose PPP forming a coalition government.

According to the [[w:DPA|DPA]], Thaksin observed the elections from Hong Kong, instead of his London residence. The PPP have—if elected—committed to his return on February 14 next year.

{{haveyoursay}}
== Related news ==

*{{wikinews|title=Ousted PM Thaksin bemoans freezing of Swiss assets|date=September 6, 2007}}
*{{wikinews|title=Thaksin ordered back to Thailand on stock-sale charges|date=June 19, 2007}}
*{{wikinews|title=Thai Prime Minister to consider lifting martial law|date=October 21, 2006}}
*{{wikinews|title=First successful anti-coup protest in Thailand|date=September 23, 2006}}
*{{wikinews|title=Thai PM Thaksin ousted by coup|date=September 19, 2006}}
*{{wikinews|title=Embattled Thai Election Commission hands TRT case to Attorney General|date=June 6, 2007}}
*{{wikinews|title=Thaksin departure doesn't signal end to Thai political crisis|date=April 5, 2006}}
*{{wikinews|title=Third of Thais vote 'none of the above'|date=April 4, 2006}}
*{{wikinews|title=Turn up and don't vote, urge anti-Thaksin activists|date=March 28, 2006}}
*{{wikinews|title=Thaksin rebuffs resignation calls while elite call for appointed PM|date=March 6, 2006}}
*{{wikinews|title=Opposition may boycott Thai election; demonstrators want Thaksin out|date=February 26, 2006}}
*{{wikinews|title=Thai snap-election set for April 2, 2006|date=February 24, 2006}}
*{{wikinews|title=Leader of 1992 pro-democracy uprising joins calls for Thaksin's resignation|date=February 20, 2006}}
*{{wikinews|title=Thaksin escapes Constitutional Court scrutiny|date=February 16, 2006}}

== Sources ==
{{Wikipedia|Thai general election, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-7174116,00.html
|title=Exit Polls: Thaksin Allies Win in Thai
|author=AP
|pub=Guardian Unlimited
|date=December 23, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/23/AR2007122300193.html|title=Thai polls point to pro-Thaksin party victory|author=Nopporn Wong-Anan|pub=Washington Post Online|date=December 23, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSSP26803320071223|title=Thai polls point to pro-Thaksin party victory|author=|pub=Reuters|date=December 23, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7157829.stm|title=Thaksin allies 'lead Thai vote'|author=|pub=BBC News Online|date=December 23, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://www.bangkokpost.co.th/topstories/topstories.php?id=124648
|title=Pro-Thaksin party takes lead in exit polls
|author=DPA
|pub=Bangkok Post
|date=December 23, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://203.150.244.10/reports/eng/
|title=Unofficial vote count
|author=
|pub=The Nation (Thailand)
|date=December 23, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://enews.mcot.net/view.php?id=1945
|title=Exit Poll: Pro-Thaksin party can form govt after winning general election
|author=Thai News Agency
|pub=MCOT|date=December 23, 2007}}

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[[Category:Asia]]
[[Category:Thailand]]
[[Category:Politics and conflicts]]
[[Category:Elections]]
[[Category:Thaksin Shinawatra]]

[[fr:Thaïlande : des sondages à la sortie des urnes donnent le parti pro-Thaksin en tête]]
Uttaradit Province, Thailand on December 23, 2007. 
Initial exit polls for Thailand's general election suggest the People Power Party (PPP), allied with the former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, has a clear lead. The poll predicted the party would win 202 out of the total of 480 seats, although a survey by Suan Dusit Rajabhat University suggested the party may win as many as 256 seats.

In September 2006 a bloodless military coup overthrew Shinawatra. Following the coup,  Thai Rak Thai—Thaksin's party—was disbanded amid corruption allegations. With the coup timed such that Prime Minister was in New York, he went into self-imposed exile in the UK.  His supporters, who were not banned from politics, formed the People Power Party. They have benefited from Thaksin's popularity in rural areas.

If the lower prediction of 202 seats is correct it is possible that the People Power Party will not form a government. According to a Reuters report in the Washington Post the caretaker government and military leaders are likely to oppose PPP forming a coalition government.

According to the DPA, Thaksin observed the elections from Hong Kong, instead of his London residence. The PPP have—if elected—committed to his return on February 14 next year.

fr:Thaïlande : des sondages à la sortie des urnes donnent le parti pro-Thaksin en tête
Asia Thailand Politics and conflicts Elections Thaksin Shinawatra