January 4, 2008
BANGKOK - The Election Commission (EC) said Thursday it was investigating 65 poll winners from the People Power Party for alleged irregularities -- potentially hitting its seat tally.
The PPP won 233 of the 480 parliamentary seats up for grabs in the December 23 poll.
"Most of them were accused of vote buying," the EC's secretary-general Sutthipol Tawichaikan told AFP, adding that the PPP politicians were among 83 winners facing investigation over alleged electoral fraud.
Already three PPP politicians have been disqualified for vote buying, according to the EC, and more candidates could yet be disqualified, shuffling the balance of power among the parties.
The outcome of the EC's investigation could hit the PPP's number of seats as the party is preparing to launch a coalition government.
The PPP has announced a coalition with three minor outfits that would give them 254 seats and a slim majority.
It has also been wooing two mid-sized parties -- Chart Thai and Puea Pandin -- in a bid to strengthen their coalition.
Chart Thai and Puea Pandin have a combined 61 seats.
Kudeb Saikrajang, a PPP spokesman, said the party was confident that it could go ahead with setting up a coalition government.
"We are waiting for its results. We believe we can go ahead with launching our coalition government. We are also confident that the EC is investigating fairly," the spokesman said.
