Thailand election winner forms five-party coalition

BANGKOK - Thailand's Yingluck Shinawatra on Monday announced the formation of a five-party coalition with 299 MPs after her election victory, and the country's defense minister said the military had accepted the result.

"All five parties agreed to work together to run the country and solve people's problems," Yingluck, who is seen as her older brother Thaksin's proxy, told reporters.

"The first urgent issue is how to achieve reconciliation," the 44-year-old businesswoman said.

"Corruption is another problem that we will solve."

The accord came unusually quickly for Thai politics, where hard bargaining usually takes place over allocation of Cabinet seats. The pact should strengthen Yingluck's government-to-be, especially if legal challenges under electoral law force some of her party's lawmakers from their positions.

The Pheu Thai Party won a majority of 265 seats in the 500-seat lower house of parliament outright, according to preliminary results from Sunday's election.

Army-backed incumbent Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva resigned as leader of the Democrats, the outgoing ruling party which won 159 seats.

Meanwhile, Thailand's outgoing defense minister said the country's powerful military had accepted the opposition party's win and would not to intervene or stop Yingluck from forming a government, easing fears of fresh military intervention in a country that has seen attempted military coups since 1930s.

"I can assure that the military has no desire to stray out of its assigned roles," said General Prawit Wongsuwan, also a former army chief close to military leaders involved in the 2006 coup that removed Thaksin.

"The people have spoken clearly so the military cannot do anything. The army accepts the election results, and I can say clearly that we have never entertained any idea of doing anything that will damage the country," he added.

Pheu Thai has already vowed not to seek revenge over a deadly military crackdown on Thaksin's "Red Shirt" supporters in Bangkok last year that claimed the lives of more than 90 people and left major downtown buildings in flames.

In Dubai, Thailand's exiled former premier Thaksin said he does not want to return to power.

"I've been with the party too long, and I really want to retire. Actually, I announced when I was in office that I planned to retire when I was 60," Thaksin told reporters from a podium set up in front of his home of Dubai.

"Going back (to Thailand) is not necessarily to be going back to politics," the 62-year-old said, joking that he might become a professional golfer.

Asked if he wanted to be prime minister again, Thaksin said: "No, I will be here doing business, and whatever advice they may need."

Thaksin, who was ousted in a bloodless coup in 2006, said reconciliation takes precedence over any return to Thailand.

"Going back home is not a major concern. It is not a priority. The top priority is to bring back reconciliation," he said.

AFP-The Nation-Reuters

(China Daily 07/05/2011 page12)