The leading party in Thailand's first post-coup election declared Monday that it has secured enough support from minor parties to form a coalition government, while the Election Commission told parties to get ready for a by-election on Jan. 13 if electoral cheating allegations against winning MP candidates were confirmed.

 

Secretary-general Surapong Suebwonglee of the People Power Party (PPP) said Monday that after negotiations, the PPP has settled an alliance with some other parties to secure a majority of 280 to 290 MP seats in the 480-member House of Representatives to form a coalition government.

 

Surapong said the party would not reveal now which parties the PPP is to form a coalition with, but rather wait until the official voting results is confirmed by the Election Commission (EC).

 

It is not yet clear how many yellow or red cards the EC will issue to disqualify some winning MP candidates on electoral fraud allegations, which might alter the parties' positions, noted Surapong.

 

Surapong said the PPP planned to announce the coalition after Jan. 3, the deadline for the EC to announce the official results.

 

The latest unofficial voting results as counted by the EC showed that PPP has 232 out of the total 480 parliament seats while its major rival Democrat Party gets 165 seats.

 

They were followed by Chart Thai (Thai Nation) Party, which wins 37 seats, Puea Pandin (For the Motherland) Party with 25 seats, Ruam Jai Thai Chart Pattana (Thais United National Development) Party with nine, Matchima Thipataya (Neutral Democratic Party) which gets seven, and Pracharaj (Royal People) Party with five seats.

 

However, EC chairman Apichart Sukhagghanond said the latest unofficial results announced on Monday is close to the official results. So, "if the winning political party wants to form a government, it could proceed without having to wait for the EC," he added.

 

Apichart said by-elections will be held on Jan. 13 in constituencies where elected MP candidates were found guilty of electoral cheating and disqualified.

 

Apichart would begin from Tuesday investigating complaints of alleged electoral frauds, meanwhile issuing verification for election results in constituencies where no complaints were lodged.

 

Hopefully the entire process will be finished in 30 days for the new parliament to commence, said Apichart.

 

Suthep Tueksuban, secretary-general of the Democrat Party has questioned the PPP's claim about securing enough seats for a coalition government, citing that the PPP is facing the EC's investigations on alleged election cheating complaints, most of which were pointed at PPP candidates.

 

The credibility of the votes won by PPP as shown in unofficial results remained dubious, said Suthep, "Under such circumstances, no other parties will haste to join a coalition with the PPP."

 

Although assuring a lead in the election, the PPP, seen as a nominee party for Thaksin Shinawatra who was ousted by a military coup in September last year, still fell a couple of seats short of a simple majority required to form a single-party government. Therefore it needs to persuade smaller parties to form a coalition government.

 

PPP spokesman Kuthep Saikrajang earlier on Monday said his party would confer with Chart Thai Party and Puea Pandin Party in forming a coalition government.

 

Banharn Silpaarcha, leader of Chart Thai Party and former prime minister said late Sunday night that his party, one of Thailand's veteran political parties, would ally with the young Puea Pandin Party.

 

However, the 75-year-old seasoned politician remained tight-lipped as to which of the top two parties -- the PPP or the Democrat Party -- the Chart Thai-Puea Pandin alliance would join in forming a coalition government.

 

Meanwhile, Puea Pandin spokesman Watchiramon Gunakasemthanawat admitted that the PPP party led by Samak Sundaravej had contacted the party Sunday night about forming a coalition government but not much progress was made.

 

He also denied his party has agreed to join forces with Chart Thai, but would rather wait for clarity on EC's decision on whether to issue red and yellow cards to nullify some winning MP candidates on electoral cheating charges, before deciding on which side to choose.

 

(Xinhua News Agency December 25, 2007)