Thailand's pro-Thaksin party can form govt

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BANGKOK, Dec 31 (AFP): The political party aligned with ousted Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra said Monday it had enough seats to form a government after three minor parties joined its coalition. "The four parties have agreed to cooperate in forming the government and we are confident we can absolutely form the government," said Samak Sundaravej, leader of the Thaksin-linked People Power Party (PPP). "It will be 254 government seats," he added.
PPP won 233 of the 480 seats in the lower house in elections on December 23, just short of the majority needed to govern alone. Its victory dealt a blow to the generals who tried to purge Thailand of Thaksin's influence after ousting him in a bloodless coup in September 2006.
The Democrat Party came second in the poll -- the first since the coup -- with 165 seats, but refused to join a PPP-led government, forcing Thaksin's allies to woo the five small parties who shared the remaining seats.
PPP's coalition partners Rum Jai Thai Chart Pattana, Matchima Party and Pracharaj party won 21 seats between them in the election, giving the grouping led by the PPP a narrow majority of 254 seats.
PPP will likely see its share of seats shrink to 230, however, after the Election Commission on Sunday said it was moving to disqualify three of the party's winning candidates over allegations of vote buying.
By-elections will be held within 30 days, after a government legal body approves the commission's decision.
Samak, who has proclaimed himself Thailand's next prime minister, said that even if the three candidates' victories were overturned, it would not effect their coalition.
"Even if we are down to 251 seats, we still can set up the government," he told reporters, adding that he expected his government to be formed by the end of January, when parliament convenes.