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    July 03, 2011

Thai Prime Minister Concedes Defeat

   VOA News
   Thai Prime Minister and leader of Democrat Party Abhisit Vejjajiva
   gestures during a news conference at the party's headquarters Sunday,
   July 3, 2011 in Bangkok, Thailand
   Photo: AP
   Thai Prime Minister and leader of Democrat Party Abhisit Vejjajiva
   gestures during a news conference at the party's headquarters Sunday,
   July 3, 2011 in Bangkok, Thailand

   Thailand's prime minister has conceded defeat in Sunday's general
   election, won by an opposition party allied to ousted prime minister
   Thaksin Shinawatra.
   Abhisit Vejjajiva Sunday congratulated his opponent Yingluck
   Shinawatra, the younger sister of former prime minister Thaksin and
   leader of the Pheu Thai party. She is set to become Thailand's first
   female prime minister.
   Contrary to pre-election polls and analysis that predicted a tight
   race, the Pheu Thai party won an absolute majority in parliament,
   beating Mr. Abhisit's Democrat party in a landslide.
   Results show the opposition party winning at least 260 seats in the
   500-member parliament.
   Thailand has been deeply divided since the kingdom's military staged a
   bloodless coup that ousted Mr. Thaksin in 2006.
   The elections were the nation's first since anti-government protests by
   the former prime minister's supporters last year led to clashes in
   which more than 90 people died.

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