Thai PM faces political storm

2006-03-31 08:16

Bangkok - Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra vowed on Friday to ride out the political turmoil engulfing Thailand, two days before elections called as a referendum on his leadership.

In an interview with the BBC, the embattled premier said the result of Sunday's poll, called three years early in a bid to end a political crisis sparked by allegations of corruption, was in the hands of the electors.

"My whole life, I am very good at riding out a storm - for many times already in my life. So why not another time?" he said, when asked if he was confident of riding out the crisis.

"In a democratic society, you have a general election to return power to the people. Let the people decide... When the majority of people want you to be out, then you are out. When they want you to be in, then you have to work for them. That is democracy," he said.

The main opposition parties are boycotting the polls, leaving Thaksin's ruling Thai Rak Thai (Thais Love Thais) party virtually unchallenged for the 500 lower house seats.

Crisis sparked by sale of stock

"This time, with the opposition boycott, it doesn't mean that we will get 100% (of the votes) anyway. There will be some 'no' votes," he said.

The crisis was set off by his family's 1.9b dollar tax-free sale of stock in Shin Corp, the telecoms giant he founded before entering politics.

But Thaksin defended the sale, saying he had not owned any shares in the company since before he entered public office.

"It belongs to my children and my cousin. Whatever they decide, it's their decision. ... I don't get involved," he said.

- AFP