Thaksin favored as Thai election opens

Voting has begun in general elections in Thailand for a new term of the House of Representatives. Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his Thai Rak Thai party are expected to win a second successive landslide.

The polling began at 8:00 a.m. local time on Sunday and will end at 3:00 p.m. Prime Minister Thaksin, who won a landslide victory four years ago, has vowed to gain enough votes to govern without having to form a coalition in his second term.

A final tally is expected on Monday morning. Twenty political parties have put forward over twenty-two thousand candidates, but only a few are expected to win seats in the 500-member House of Representatives.

Source: CCTV.com