Thaksin's youngest sister for PM

[dozer]

I was involved in multi-million dollar project here in Thailand from the mid 90’s up until 2004.

The investment for the project was predominately from overseas, mostly Japanese financial institutions.

I was curious as why overseas financial institutions were willing to invest in Thailand, considering the political soap operas which dogged the country, so I discussed this with the senior Thai consultant and he simply said the project has the militaries blessing.

That is why in my opinion Thailand never really seems to suffer from the lack of investment, because the bottom line is that overseas investors understand that regardless what political entity has formed a “government” the military are in charge.

[Spitfire]

This is worth a read and gives an OK 'heads up' about this election and the problem of rural poverty etc and how it perpetuates plus why PT party is so popular, along with the problems inherent here with this stuff and the almost hopelessness of it all.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-13923601

[BaaBaa.]

It looks like she's won it by a landslide.

[migrant]

Yes CNN reporting that Absit conceded.

[Takiap]

Just out of interest, which party won in HH/Prachuap?

[dozer]

Election results for the Prachuap Khiri Khan

Constituency Party candidate Votes

1 No.10 Democrat 65,215
No.1 Pheu Thai 17,618
No.19 The Farmer Network of Thailand 1,841
No.2 Chart Pattana Puea Pandin 160
No.34 New Aspiration 124

2 No.10 Democrat 45,604
No.1 Pheu Thai 35,017
No.34 New Aspiration 852
No.2 Chart Pattana Puea Pandin 282
No.36 Sport party of Thailand 71

3 No.10 Democrat 63,418
No.1 Pheu Thai 14,065
No.19 The Farmer Network of Thailand 368
No.2 Chart Pattana Puea Pandin 140

[buksida]

The Bangkok Post has nice map showing the breakdown of votes per province and constituency:
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/election/map-thailand

As expected all of the South and Bangkok is blue and Issan is red - those deep divisions are still there ... this song maybe appropriate:

[STEVE G]

I was speaking on the phone to my partner in Issan last night and she told me that no money was being handed out for votes in her area yesterday which is a first.
I think last years shooting gallery in Bangkok saved PT a lot of money!

[Siani]

The Baht has strengthened ...

The baht climbed 1.2 per cent to 30.44 per US dollar as of 8.05 am in Bangkok (9.05am, Singapore time), according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The currency reached 30.43, the strongest level since June 23. Credit Agricole expects the baht to rise to 29.20 by year-end.

[cozza]

I saw a vid on the net where people were admitting to taking vote money and not voting for that person...I find it very hard to believe there was an election with no vote buying...locally, in Phetburi, someone who could drive a bus full of voters would get 1000 while the individual voter gets 300. Dont know how they make sure you vote for them???

Sorry, but when someone says there was no vote buying in an election in Thailand I think yea right!!!

[dozer]

http://news.yahoo.com/abhisit-resigns-p ... 05163.html

The most ineffective prime minister ever, a real sleaze ball.

[malcolminthemiddle]

http://news.yahoo.com/abhisit-resigns-p ... 05163.html

The most ineffective prime minister ever, a real sleaze ball.

If any Thai politician can be accused of being corrupt, fraudulent, dishonest, a crook, without scruples and prone to shady dealings, it is not Abhisit.

[PeteC]

Abhisit is a very capable man. He was constantly hamstrung by coalition partners who sat on the fence with threats of changing sides if they didn't get what they wanted. He spent most of his time stomping out fires. The Democratic party will be hard pressed to find a replacement chairman. There isn't anyone of quality that I know of, certainly not Suthep. Pete

[STEVE G]

Sorry, but when someone says there was no vote buying in an election in Thailand I think yea right!!!

Yes, it normally goes on but apparently in many areas of Issan it's been simply unnecessary as the level of support for PT was so high anyway.
One thing that does go on sometimes in Thai elections is paying people not to vote by giving them money and then confiscating their ID card until after the election so that they can't vote.

[bcrglobal]

Steve--

You've got the mechanics right but the reason wrong. In many villages the village headman (Kamnan) will pay people and take their ID cards, and then they will cast all the votes themselves.

Here's a hypothetical example.....Let's say a village has 200 voters registered. The Kamnan will be paid 150,000 baht for delivering 150 of the 200 votes. He will then pay 150 villagers 700 baht each (105,000 in total), pay the election official 5k for letting him vote for all the villagers, and keep the other 40k for himself.