General elections were held in Thailand in April 2006. Elections for the lower house of the Thai National Assembly, the House of Representatives, were held on 2 April 2006 and elections for the upper house, the Senate, were held on 19 April 2006. The Constitutional Court later invalidated the House of Representatives election results and ordered a new round of voting. The kings in the current Chakri dynasty of Thailand are often referred to as Rama followed by Roman ordinal in English translation. ... Bhumibol Adulyadej (Thai: ; IPA: ; Royal Institute: Phumiphon Adunyadet;  ) (born December 5, 1927), officially styled the Great (Thai: มหาราช, Maharaja) and also known as Rama IX, is the current King of Thailand. ... The following is a list of Prime Ministers of Thailand: Phraya Manopakorn Nititada, (1932-1933) General Phraya Phahol Pholphayuhasena, (1933-1938) Field Marshal Plaek Phibunsongkhram, (1938-1944) Major Khuang Abhaiwongse, (1944-1945) Tawee Boonyaket, (1945) Seni Pramoj, (1945) Major Khuang Abhaiwongse, (1946) Luang Praditmanutham, (1946) Rear Admiral Thawal Thamrong Navaswadhi... General Surayud Chulanont (Thai: , RTGS: Surayut Chulanon, Nickname: Big Add) is the current Prime Minister of Thailand and head of Thailands Interim Government. ... The cover of The Economist magazine of April 8th–14th 2006, showing anti-Thaksin protesters. ... Wikinews has news related to: Category:2006 Thailand coup The 2006 Thailand coup détat took place on Tuesday 19 September 2006, when the Royal Thai Army staged a coup against the government of caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. ... This article focuses on the military junta that overthrew the elected civilian government of Thailand in the 2006 Thailand coup. ... General Sonthi Boonyaratkalin (Thai: ; first name also spelled Sondhi; last name also spelled Boonyaratglin or Boonyarakarin) is Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Army. ... The Thai 2006 interim civilian government is the Thai provisional civilian government headed by Interim Prime Minister General Surayud Chulanont. ... In the politics of Thailand, the Cabinet is a formal body composed of government officials chosen by the Prime Minister. ... The National Assembly (Rathasapha) is the legislative branch of the government of Thailand. ... Political parties in Thailand lists political parties in Thailand. ... Politics of Thailand Categories: Election related stubs | Elections in Thailand ... General elections are expected to be held again in Thailand before the end of 2007 after the military assumed power in the 2006 Thai coup détat on 19 September 2006. ... Bangkoks Democracy Monument: a representation of the 1932 Constitution sits on top of two golden offering bowls above a turret. ... The 2006 Interim Charter of Thailand was drafted by the Council for Democratic Reform (CDR) after it seized power from the government of Thaksin Shinawatra in the 2006 Thailand coup. ... A permanent constitution for the Kingdom of Thailand is currently being drafted by a committee established by the military junta that abrogated the previous 1997 Constitution. ... A referendum on the new constitution currently being drafted will be held in Thailand in 2007, likely in August. ... The Constitutional Court of Thailand (Thai: ศาลรัฐธรรมนูญ) is an independent Thai court established under the 1997 Constitution with jurisdiction over the constitutionality of parliamentary acts, royal decrees, draft legislation, as well as the appointment and removal of public officials and issues regarding political parties. ... Thailand is divided into 75 provinces (จังหวัด, changwat), and one municipality - the capital Bangkok (Krung Thep Maha Nakhon in Thai). ... Human Rights in Thailand The constitution provides for freedom of speech, press, peaceful assembly and association, religion, and movement within the country and abroad. ... Combatants  Thailand Muslim separatists Pattini Raya Commanders Gen. ... Thailands foreign policy includes support for ASEAN in the interest of regional stability and emphasis on a close and longstanding security relationship with the United States. ... Foreign Aid to Thailand On July 31, 2003, Thailand repaid its outstanding obligations under a standby arrangement from the International Monetary Fund designed to help it recover from the 1997–98 Asian financial crisis. ... Information on politics by country is available for every country, including both de jure and de facto independent states, inhabited dependent territories, as well as areas of special sovereignty. ... The National Assembly (Rathasapha) is the legislative branch of the government of Thailand. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... April 2 is the 92nd day of the year (93rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 273 days remaining. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... The National Assembly (Rathasapha) is the legislative branch of the government of Thailand. ... April 19 is the 109th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (110th in leap years). ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... The Constitutional Court of Thailand (Thai: ศาลรัฐธรรมนูญ) is an independent Thai court established under the 1997 Constitution with jurisdiction over the constitutionality of parliamentary acts, royal decrees, draft legislation, as well as the appointment and removal of public officials and issues regarding political parties. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

The ruling Thais Love Thais (TRT) party of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra won a majority seats in the House of Representatives, partly as a result of the decision by the major opposition parties to boycott the elections. Nearly complete results show that TRT won 61% of the valid vote and about 460 of the 500 seats. Despite this, Thaksin announced his resignation two days after the election. Thai Rak Thai (ไทยรักไทย, lit. ... The following is a list of Prime Ministers of Thailand: Phraya Manopakorn Nititada, (1932-1933) General Phraya Phahol Pholphayuhasena, (1933-1938) Field Marshal Plaek Phibunsongkhram, (1938-1944) Major Khuang Abhaiwongse, (1944-1945) Tawee Boonyaket, (1945) Seni Pramoj, (1945) Major Khuang Abhaiwongse, (1946) Luang Praditmanutham, (1946) Rear Admiral Thawal Thamrong Navaswadhi... Wikinews has news related to: Thaksin Shinawatra   (Thai: , IPA: ; born July 26, 1949 in Chiang Mai, Thailand), Thai businessman and politician, is the deposed Prime Minister of Thailand and the former leader of the populist Thai Rak Thai party. ...

Although TRT easily won the election in terms of both votes and seats, the results were seen by Thaksin's opponents and media critics as a rejection of his call for an overwhelming mandate. In parts of Bangkok and in southern Thailand, most TRT candidates were elected on minority votes after the majority of voters used the "abstain" option on their ballot papers. In a number of southern seats TRT candidates failed to poll the required 20% of registered voters, rendering the results in these seats invalid. TRT won all the seats in the Northern and North-Eastern (Isan) regions, and also in the Central region apart from Bangkok. This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... For other articles with similar names, see Isan (disambiguation). ...

The election was declared invalid by the Constitutional Court, and new elections would have be held in October, but were canceled by the military that led a coup against the Thai government. Wikinews has news related to: Category:2006 Thailand coup The 2006 Thailand coup détat took place on Tuesday 19 September 2006, when the Royal Thai Army staged a coup against the government of caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. ...

Background

The elections followed the decision by Prime Minister Thaksin to dissolve the House of Representatives. King Bhumipol Adulyadej granted Thaksin a dissolution even though the last election was held only in February 2005, and even though Thaksin's party had a huge majority in the House. At the February 2005 election, the TRT won 375 seats out of 500, with its former coalition partner, the Thai Nation Party taking 26 seats. The opposition Democratic Party of Thailand won 96 seats. King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great (Thai: ภูมิพลอดุลยเดช; IPA: ; (help·info)) (born December 5, 1927), also known as King Rama IX and the Ninth Rama, has been King of Thailand since 9 June 1946. ... Legislative elections were held in Thailand on 6 February 2005. ... Chart Thai Party (พรรคชาติไทย phak chaat thai), also translated as the Thai Nation Party, is a conservative political party in Thailand. ... This article is part of or related to the Liberalism series Categories: Politics stubs | Liberal related stubs | Liberal parties | Thai political parties ...

Thaksin's decision to call early elections followed a mounting campaign of criticism of his personal financial dealings. In January his family sold its stake in Shin Corporation, a leading communication company, for 73 billion baht (about $US1.88 billion), an enormous profit on which the Shinawatras legally paid no tax. This sparked a series of angry demonstrations in the capital. Nevertheless, Thaksin's parliamentary position was under no threat. Shin Corporation (SET: SHIN; NASDAQ: SHNZY; NASDAQ: SHNVF; NASDAQ: SHNUF) is the largest conglomerate in Thailand. ...

The English-language newspaper the Bangkok Post reported Thaksin as saying, "I cannot allow mob rule to supersede the law," and citing intelligence reports of "instigators of violence" seeking to exploit the divisive situation as a reason for dissolving the House of Representatives. The country could not suffer a new round of "bruises" when it was still suffering from the violent events of May 1992, with relatives of victims still to be healed, Thaksin said. The Bangkok Post is a broadsheet English-language daily newspaper published in Bangkok, Thailand. ... Ochlocracy (Greek: οχλοκρατια; Latin: ochlocratia) is government by mob or a disorganized mass of people. ...

Thaksin also cited the impact on the economy of the political situation, pointing to the questions it had raised about the future of megaprojects and the ups and downs on the stock market. "I am ready to accept the decisions of the people. But I will never accept those outside the system who claim to be deciding for the people," he said.

Wikinews has News on the April 2, 2006 elections and political crisis:

• Thais head to the polls for snap-election April 2, 2006
• Thai police forward anti-Thaksin PAD accusations to Corruption Commission March 28, 2006
• PAD petitions election commission for Thaksin's disqualification March 23, 2006
• Thousands of Thai protesters prepare to march on Government House March 13, 2006
• Thaksin rebuffs resignation calls while elite call for appointed PM March 6, 2006
• Opposition may boycott Thai election; demonstrators want Thaksin out February 26, 2006
• Thai snap-election set for April 2, 2006 February 24, 2006

Image File history File links Wikinews-logo. ... Wikinews is a free-content news source and a project of the Wikimedia Foundation. ...

Opposition boycott

On 25 February the Post reported Democrat party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva as saying he was "ready to become a prime minister who adheres to the principles of good governance and ethics, not authoritarianism." The next day, however, it was announced that the Democratic Party, along with other opposition parties, were considering boycotting the elections. At a press conference Abhisit joined the Thai Nation Party's Banharn Silpa-archa and the Mahachon Party's Sanan Kachornprasart and said that the three parties would consult with party members before making a final decision. Abhisit Vejjajiva (Thai: อภิสิทธิ์ เวชชาชีวะ) (born 3 August 1964), Thai politician, has become the leader of the opposition Democrat Party since February 2005. ... The Great Peoples Party (Phak Mahachon) is a political party in Thailand. ...

Abhisit said that the elections "lacked legitimacy' and were an attempt by Thaksin to "divert public attention." from the Shin Corp scandal. "Boycotting the poll is one option but the parties still have to explore other possibilities allowed by the constitution," he said. Thaksin's behaviour was "exposing the country to a new political system, the Thaksin system, which bent the constitution,". Abhisit said. "The charter was once the people's charter. Now it has been hijacked."

Banharn said the sudden dissolution left opposition political parties "no time to prepare a list of constituency candidates and list candidates." Only Thai Rak Thai was well-equipped with wealth, people and power," he said.

On 27 February, the three opposition parties announced a boycott of the election after Thaksin reportedly refused to sign a pledge to implement constitutional reforms. The Bangkok Post reported Abhisit as saying that "under the current circumstances" a fair general election was unlikely. What was likely, he said, "was an election that would yield the outcome Mr Thaksin was expecting."

"The prime minister does not respond to the intention of the three political parties," Abhisit said. "He is diverting from the heart of the solution and creating the process that sees only uncertainties and complications. That does not assure us that there will be serious political reform."

Deputy Thai Rak Thai leader Khunying Sudarat Keyuraphan said that the government was doing its best to find a way out of the political crisis. "Dissolving the House to return power to the people is the best way out under this constitution and democracy," she said. "But you do not accept it. What better choice could Thai Rak Thai make?" Sudarat Keyuraphan (born May 1, 1961, Thai: สุดารัตน์ เกยุราพันธ์ ) is a Thai politician and the deputy leader of the Thai Rak Thai party. ...

The decision by the Democratic Party and the Thai Nation Party to boycott the elections meant that almost the whole of southern Thailand lost its previous political representation, since at the 2005 election, Thaksin's party won only one seat in the south.

Results

Unofficial results published by Bangkok newspapers showed that TRT polled over 61% of all valid votes (about 53% of all votes cast), and won about 460 of the 500 seats. Voters in the Central, Northern and North-Eastern regions voted overwhelmingly for TRT candidates, who were unopposed in the great majority of seats in these regions. But the majority of voters in Bangkok and in the Southern region rejected the government. In many constituencies in these areas voters used the "abstain" option on their ballot papers to reject TRT candidates, even when they were running unopposed. TRT received fewer votes than the number of abstention votes in 28 of 36 Bangkok constituencies. In 2005, TRT won 30 of the Bangkok seats.

This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... This article is part of or related to the Liberalism series Categories: Politics stubs | Liberal related stubs | Liberal parties | Thai political parties ... Chart Thai Party (พรรคชาติไทย phak chaat thai), also translated as the Thai Nation Party, is a conservative political party in Thailand. ... The Great Peoples Party (Phak Machacon) is a political party in Thailand. ...

Disputing the election result

On 3 April 2006, the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) petitioned the Administrative Court to suspend the results of the election and accused the Election Commission of violating voter privacy. The EC repositioned voting booths so that voters' backs were to the public, whereas in previous elections, voters faced the public, with a board one-half meter tall at the front of the booth separating the voter from the public. The EC claimed the new arrangement was designed to prevent various forms of poll fraud including the use of cameras by voters to take photographs of their ballots. After the 2005 election, cameras and cameraphones were been banned from voting stations due to fears that canvassers would demand ballot photographs in return for money.^[1][2][3] However, the PAD claimed that this allowed onlookers to peek over voters' shoulders and see who they voted for.^[4][5] Image File history File links New_System_Voting_(recolor_-_small). ... Image File history File links Old_System_Voting_(recolor_-_small). ... PADs protesters marching in Siamsquare district The Peoples Alliance for Democracy is a coalition of protesters against the government of Thaksin Shinawatra, Prime Minister of Thailand. ... The Election Commission of Thailand is an independent government agency tasked with overseeing Senate, House, and district elections throughout the Kingdom of Thailand. ...

After unofficial voting results became public, the PAD declared that it would ignore the results of the election. He further said that the "PAD will go on rallying until Thaksin resigns and Thailand gets a royally-appointed prime minister".^[6]

The elections were finally declared invalid by Thailand's Constitutional Court, which found that the positioning of the voting booths violated voter privacy. The Constitutional Court later pressured the Election Commission to resign for its management of the April elections. The Court was unsuccessful in pressuring the EC head to resign; however, it did prevent the Senate from appointing a replacement for commissioner Jaral Buranapansri, who had passed away.^[7] This prevented the EC from having a quorum.^[8] It later found the remaining Commissioners guilty of malfeasance and jailed them. The Constitutional Court of Thailand (Thai: ศาลรัฐธรรมนูญ) is an independent Thai court established under the 1997 Constitution with jurisdiction over the constitutionality of parliamentary acts, royal decrees, draft legislation, as well as the appointment and removal of public officials and issues regarding political parties. ... The Election Commission of Thailand is an independent government agency tasked with overseeing Senate, House, and district elections throughout the Kingdom of Thailand. ...

On 30 May 2006, the Cabinet decided to hold new elections on 15 October 2006. May 30 is the 150th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (151st in leap years). ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... October 15 is the 288th day of the year (289th in leap years). ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ...

References

1. ^ http://www.textually.org/picturephoning/archives/2005/02/006999.htm
2. ^ http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_asiapacific/view/130985/1/.html
3. ^ http://www.engadget.com/2005/02/07/thailand-bans-cameraphone-pics-in-voting-booths/
4. ^ http://nationmultimedia.com/2006/04/03/headlines/headlines_30000863.php
5. ^ http://bangkokpost.net/News/03Apr2006_news02.php
6. ^ http://nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/read.php?newsid=30000759
7. ^ http://www.nationmultimedia.com/search/page.news.php?clid=5&id=30004774
8. ^ http://www.nationmultimedia.com/search/page.news.php?clid=5&id=30004310

External link

• Preliminary results from Adam Carr's Electoral Archive

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