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| Southeast Asia |
| Thai opposition eyes Thaksins sister for PM |
| 2011-01-08 |
| [Straits Times] A SISTER of runaway former Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra has emerged as a possible opposition candidate for prime minister as elections loom, a party front man said on Friday. 'Some Puea Thai members are throwing their support behind Yingluck (Shinawatra) as one of the party candidates for prime minister but we have to consult and vote at the party's general meeting,' said Pormpong Nopparit. He said the party would pick their candidate after Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, the leader of the pro-establishment Democrat Party, dissolves parliament, which by law must be done sometime this year. Thaksin, 61, lives abroad to avoid a jail term for corruption. He remains a deeply divisive figure in Thailand and is wanted on terrorism charges for allegedly inciting anti-government protests in Bangkok last year. The telecoms tycoon-turned-premier drew wide support from Thailand's rural poor during his time in office but was deposed by a military coup in 2006 and faces allegations of corruption and abuse of power. He still has many supporters, particularly within the 'Red Shirt' opposition movement behind mass street protests in Bangkok in April and May that left more than 90 people dead in festivities between armed troops and demonstrators. Yingluck, 43, is the youngest of Thaksin's siblings. If elected to office, she would be Thailand's first female prime minister. |
| Posted by:Fred |