Thaksin promises no revenge after Thai election

Thailand's ex-prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra has called for all sides to respect the outcome of Sunday’s general election, promising “we will not seek revenge” after his sister’s party was shown to have won an absolute majority by exit polls.

Reuters/Sukree Sukplang

"All parties must respect the people's decision otherwise our country cannot achieve peace," Thaksin told Thai broadcaster PBS from Dubai, where he lives in self-imposed exile.

And he promised that the party that has inherited the support base of his Thai Rak Thai party will not be divisive.

“I think people want to see reconciliation. They want to move forward. Puea Thai came up with a clear policy of reconciliation. We will not seek revenge," he said.

Thaksin has lived abroad since being toppled by a coup in 2006 and has had much of his fortune seized by Thai courts, which have also accused him of "terrorism". Over 100 of his supporters were banned from standing in elections and more than 90 people died when the army broke up a sit-in by his Red Shirt supporters last year. 

Puea Thai is set to win 313 seats out of 500, against 152 for outgoing prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva's Democrats, according to a projection by Suan Dusit University. Other exit polls painted a similar picture.

Thaksin's youngest sister Yingluck, 44, is now set to become Thailand's first female prime minister.

"It's a tough job ahead," Thaksin told PBS. "First she must achieve reconciliation, which is crucial for development. Then she must overhaul the economy and bureaucracy which was destroyed in recent years."

Puea Thai has proposed an amnesty for convicted politicians, which would allow Thaksin to return to Thailand – a move that is likely to be bitterly opposed by the the Bangkok-based elite in government, military and palace circles.

After the poll results were made public, he was reported to have phoned his sister to congratulate her and asked when he might be able to return home.

“I don't have to return home soon,” he told PBS. “I can stay here, but I just really want to attend my daughter's wedding. I don't want to cause trouble by returning home."

Vejjajiva, who had warned of chaos if Puea Thai won,  said that he would wait for the official result before making a comment.