Samak Sundaravej, the leader of the People Power PartyOn December 23, Thais go to the polls. Coming just 12 months after Thailand's latest military coup, it is an election that will define the country's future.
The Thai Rak Thai party of ousted prime minister, Thaksin Shinawatra has been banned from standing candidates but Thaksin, living in self-imposed exile in the UK, has thrown his weight behind the People Power Party (PPP) which is leading in the polls.The military initially refused to rule out another coup if the PPP won the vote but now it has played down its opposition to a PPP victory.
The Democrat Party has been campaigning well and a coalition built around it may provide Thailand with a way out of its political turmoil.
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