After Thailand's April 2006 elections were declared invalid by the Constitutional Court, it was decided that new elections would be held on 15 October 2006. Due to delays in the nomination of a new election committee the election were likely to be moved to November, but then cancelled indefinitely after the military's overthrow of the Thai government. 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 were held in Thailand in April 2006. ... 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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. ... 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Background

The April elections were boycotted by the major opposition parties (the Democrat Party, the Mahachon Party, and Chart Thai Party). The results of the April elections, in which the ruling Thai Rak Thai Party won by a landslide, were disqualified by the Constitutional Court due to the placement of voting booths. National legislative elections were held in Thailand. ... National legislative elections were held in Thailand. ...

On 30 May, the Cabinet endorsed an Election Commission proposal to hold a new round of elections on 15 October 2006. The new election date allowed politicians 9 days time (by 8 June) to switch parties. The Thai constitution requires politicians to maintain their party membership for 90 days before being eligible to register as election candidates. ^[1] The election date was affirmed by the signing of the royal decree by King Bhumibol Adulyadej on July 20, 2006. ^[2] October 15 is the 288th day of the year (289th in leap years). ... 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. ...

Political Events Prior to the Election

Pressure for the Election Commission to resign

The Constitutional Court and Opposition parties pressured the Election Commission to resign due to the disqualification of the April election. However, Commission head Vasana Puemlarp and the two other remaining commissioners refused to resign. ^[3] The Criminal Court later jailed the three Commissioners who refused to resign, forcing the appointment of a new set of Commissioners.^[4][5]

Defections and establishment of new parties

From Thai Rak Thai

Rumors were rampant prior to the election that many MPs from the ruling Thai Rak Thai would defect. ^[6] Former TRT party-list MPs Likhit Dhiravegin and Sarit Santimethanedol left to establish the Phalang Phaendin party ("Strength of the Land"), claiming that 40 TRT Wang Nam Yen defectors would follow them.^[7] However, as of 5 June, no other MPs defected. Wang Nam Yom faction member Banyin Tangpakorn was quoted as saying that no more than 5 members wanted to defect.^[8] Thai Rak Thai (ไทยรักไทย, lit. ...

Snoh Thienthong, head of the TRT's powerful rebel Wang Nam Yen faction, had resigned from the TRT in February, along with his wife, Uraiwan (then Culture Minister). ^[9] He later established the Pracharaj Party. ^[10] Joining Snoh in resigning from the TRT was party-list MP Winai Sompong. ^[11] Sora-at Klinpratoom, another influential Wang Nam Yen member, resigned from the ICT Ministry, but did not resign from the TRT party. Outspoken businessman and founder of Thai Petrochemical Industry (TPI) Prachai Leophai-ratana also joined the Pracharaj Party as its secretary-general.^[12] Pramual Rujanasseri, Boonthueng Pholphanit and Chucheep Harnsawat were appointed as deputy party leaders.^[13]

Former Deputy Environment Minister Prapat Panyachatraksa (nicknamed "Kan Yao" for his heroism during the pro-democracy protests of 1973) had resigned from the TRT during the height of anti-Thaksin protests in March 2006. Prapat Panyachatraksa was a student demonstrator during the the violent 1973 democracy movement during which he confronted an M-60 armed soldier armed with just a piece of wood, for which he was popularly nicknamed Ai Karn Yao (after the hero in the movie Walking Tall). ...

As of May 2006, members of the Wang Bua Ban, Wang Phayanak, and Ban Rim Nam factions of the TRT party declared that they would not defect. Phayao MP Aruni Chamnanya was quoted as saying "I am not a politician who sells myself by party hopping." ^[14]

From Mahachon

Tun Jintavej and Chatchawan Chompudaeng, members of the Mahachon Party, defected to the Chart Thai Party. Anek Laothammathat, the former Mahachon Party leader, joined the new Maharaj Party.

From Chart Thai

Former Chart Thai MP for Ratchaburi, Vijai Wattanaprasit, moved to the Pracharaj Party^[15]. Former Chat Thai MP for Chanthaburi Province Khomkhai Pollabutr moved to the Democrat Party.^[15] Chanthaburi (Thai จันทบุรี) is a province (changwat) of Thailand. ...

From Democrat

Mahachon Party leader Sanan Kachornprasart claimed that former Democrat secretary-general Pradit Pattaraprasit had decided to join Mahachon and contest the election. However, Pradit, who had earlier resigned from the Democrat party, denied Sanan's claim.^[16]

Other

The New Aspiration Party, led by Chingchai Mongkoltham, planned to merge with Maharaj.^[17] Outgoing Senators Kraisak Choonhavan and Karun Sai-ngam also joined Maharaj. Outgoing Senator Pichet Pattanachot joined the Democrat Party and plans to contest Nakhon Ratchasima's Constituency 1.^[18] Nakhon Ratchasima (Thai: ), often shortened to Korat or Khorat, is one of the north-eastern provinces (changwat) of Thailand. ...

The political affiliation of former Deputy Prime Minister and TRT co-founder Purachai Piumsombun was the target of much political rumor. Purachai had earlier retired from politics, but his popularity led many to believe that he would re-enter politics under a different party. As Deputy Prime Minister, Purachai had led a controversial "social order" campaign that made him highly popular among many Bangkokians.

The People's Alliance for Democracy, which had led many anti-Thaksin protests from 2005 to 2006, established a new party, the Mass Party. However, they vowed not to field candidates for election. "If we field MP candidates, we will be trapped in vicious circles of money politics," said Somkiat Pongpaibun, a PAD leader.^[17] Somkiat was joined by former Palang Dharma Party leader Chaiwat Sinsuwong and the Campaign for Popular Democracy's Pipop Thongchai. 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 Mass Party is the political party of Thailands Peoples Alliance for Democracy. ...

Khon Kaen caretaker Senator Rabiebrat Pongpanit co-founded the Thai Women party.^[19]

Election platforms and campaigning

Democrat party

On 29 April, party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva promised an "agenda for people", with education as the main focus. He also vowed not to privatize basic utilities like electricity and water supply and also to nationalize those enterprises which had previously been privatized.^[20] However, he later backtracked and promised not to renationalize the oil and gas company PTT.^[21] He also promised that core Thai Rak Thai populist policies like the 30-baht universal healthcare scheme, the Village Fund and the SML scheme would not be cancelled but improved. He later promised that Thaksin's popular 30-baht universal healthcare scheme would be abolished immediately, and replaced with a system where access to medical services would be totally free.^[22] He also said that all future Democrat MPs will have to declare their assets and possible involvement in any private companies (under Thai law, only those who take a government position have to declare their assets).^[23] In addition, MPs, Government ministers, and their families would also be required to disclose benefits they received from business connections.^[24] He also proposed a 10 million THB limit to the amount that any individual could contribute to a political party in one year.^[24] He also proposed to reduce the number of votes necessary to force a vote of no confidence to just one-tenth of the House.^[24] Abhisit Vejjajiva (Thai: อภิสิทธิ์ เวชชาชีวะ) (born 3 August 1964), Thai politician, has become the leader of the opposition Democrat Party since February 2005. ... Thai Rak Thai (ไทยรักไทย, lit. ...

Abhisit also promised many populist policies,^[25] including:

• Providing quality universal healthcare for no cost. The Thaksin-originated universal healthcare scheme provides coverage for 30 Baht (approx. US$ .75 ) per visit.
• Providing free education, textbooks, milk and supplemental foods for kindergartens
• Increasing the minimum wage

On the Democrat Party's 60th Anniversary dinner, Abhisit raised over THB 200 Million in funds from attendants. He outlined several energy policies^[26] including:

• Increasing dividend payments from PTT and using the funds to repay Oil Fund debts
• Allowing EGAT to bear the burden of rising fuel prices, since a non SET-listed EGAT would have no minimum return on investment.

On 13 July 2006, facing escalating violence in the South, Abhisit promised to solve the insurgency by making the problems in the deep South a public agenda.^[27] Known as PTT, or 批踢踢 in Chinese, its full English name Professional Technology Temple is known by few. ... The Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) is a state enterprise that owns and manages the majority of Thailands electricity generation capacity, as well as the nations transmission network. ... July 13 is the 194th day (195th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 171 days remaining. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... Combatants  Thailand Muslim separatists Pattini Raya Commanders Gen. ...

In late July 2006, party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva appeared on two television advertisements.^[28] The first tried to portray Abhisit as a family man, while the second suggested that people cope with the high cost of living by cutting down on energy consumption. Two additional advertisements were scheduled to air in August, the third focusing on free education, and the fourth on free health care. Prime Minister Thaksin commended the spots, and Abhisit claimed spots were well received. However, pollsters at ABAC Poll and the BU Poll Centre doubted that the spots would impress grassroots voters. 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. ...

Thai Rak Thai party

The Thai Rak Thai party promised to expand Bangkok's mass transit network with ten new electric train routes covering 300 km.^[29] The new network would have a flat cost of just 15 THB per ride. The TRT also proposed building home units along the new lines. The new rail networks would be built through direct government investment, rather than through private concessions. This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... In the United States of America, transit describes local area common carrier passenger transportation configured to provide scheduled service on fixed routes on a non-reservation basis. ... A GG1, perhaps the best-known electric locomotive ever built. ...

Predictive measures

Polls

A nation-wide poll conducted in mid-July found that 49% of respondents would vote for Thai Rak Thai, while 42.5% preferred one of the oppisiton parties. 84.3% of those surveyed said they would vote in the poll; of those, 29.2% said they would not vote for any political party, marking instead the "no vote" box, indicating abstention.^[30] Abstention is a term in election procedure for when a participant in a vote either does not goes to vote (on election day) or, in parliamentary procedure, isnt absent during the vote, but does not cast a ballot. ...

A Bangkok poll in conducted mid-August found that 38% of respondants would vote for Thai Rak Thai, with 24% voting for the Democrats, 10% voting for Chart Thai, and 6% for other parties.^[31]

Other elections

In the 30 July Bangkok Metropolitan Administration council elections, the Democrats won 35 out of 57 seats in the Bangkok city council, with 18 seats going to TRT.^[32] The Democrats also swept 176 out of 255 district council seats in the Bangkok district council elections held on the same day, while Thai Rak Thai won 71 seats and independent candidates won eight seats. This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

2006 Thailand coup d'état

Main article: 2006 Thailand coup d'état

On 19 September 2006, less than a month before the scheduled elections, members of the Royal Thai Army staged a coup d'état against the government of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. It is the country's first coup in 15 years,^[33] though the practice used to be commonplace, with 17 having occurred between 1932 and 1991.^[34] 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. ... September 19 is the 262nd day of the year (263rd in leap years). ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... Royal Thai army soldier with an M16A2 rifle during maneuvers in 2000 The Royal Thai Army is the army of Thailand. ... // A coup dÉtat (pronounced ), or simply coup, is the sudden overthrow of a government, often through illegal means by a part of the state establishment — mostly replacing just the high-level figures. ... A prime minister is the most senior minister of a cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. ... 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. ...

Junta leader General Sonthi Boonyaratglin announced the abrogation of the constitution, declared martial law, and dissolved Cabinet, Parliament, and the Constitutional Court. He promised that a civilian Prime Minister would be appointed within two weeks^[34], but that a new constitution would be drafted before holding new elections a year in the future.^[35] General Sonthi Boonyaratglin (Thai: ; first name also spelled Sondhi; last name also spelled Boonyaratkalin or Boonyarakarin) is Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Army. ... For other uses, see Martial law (disambiguation). ...

References