January 12, 2009
Thailand's ruling coalition strengthened its grip on power on Monday after winning the most seats in parliamentary by-elections against allies of ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
Unofficial results showed Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva's Democrat Party and its coalition allies capturing as many as 20 of the 29 parliamentary seats at stake in Sunday's polling, Election Commissioner Apichart Sukhakanont said.
An official tally was to be released later on Monday.
The polls were the first since Thaksin's political allies were ousted from power in December by a court ruling and parliamentary manoeuvring and replaced by a coalition led by the rival Democrat Party.
"The results show that the public wants the country to move forward. People want to reduce political rift," Abhisit told reporters.
Parliament elected Abhisit as the nation's leader by a thin majority last month. His ascendance to form a shaky coalition government followed the dissolution of three parties in the previous governing coalition of Thaksin allies after a court ruled some of their members had committed election fraud.
Voters in 22 provinces cast ballots on Sunday to fill the 29 seats made vacant mostly by politicians disqualified by the court ruling.
The dissolved parties had been packed with allies of Thaksin, who was ousted by a 2006 military coup after being accused of corruption and abuse of power. He is in exile, defying a court conviction on a conflict of interest charge.
Thaksin twice led his party to impressive election victories and he retains popularity among the country's rural majority. His loyalists contested most of Sunday's races under the banner of the newly formed Phuea Thai Party.
The Democrat Party came to power after months of political chaos caused by protesters opposed to Thaksin's political machine.
Their sometimes violent demonstrations culminated in an eight-day blockade of Bangkok's airports in November that made it difficult for Thaksin's allies to govern with any credibility.
Abhisit's government was voted in with a majority of 37 votes, with the support of 235 MPs in the 480-seat lower house of parliament.
