A coalition government will be formed in Thailand, the party that took the most seats in the weekend election says.
The People's Power Party (PPP), which won 232 seats in the 480-seat lower house of parliament, has enough support to control the house, party secretary general Surapong Suebwonglee said Monday.
But he did not reveal exactly how many parties will form the coalition, or the terms on which they would support the PPP. The details are expected Jan. 3, when the Election Commission confirms the results of the voting.
The PPP is the first elected government since the military deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra in a bloodless coup 2006. He was in New York at the time and later moved to London.
The military always said that it would return the country to democratic rule and Thais adopted a new constitution through a referendum this summer. The parliamentary election followed.
The PPP is close to Thaksin, campaigned on his policies and is promising to grant amnesty to him and executives of his outlawed Thai Rak Thai Party.
The party was banned in May for alleged corruption.
The Election Commission is investigating many reports of irregularities during the vote, and as many as 24 winners could be disqualified, commission member Sodsri Sathayatham said.
That could deny the PPP a majority, and the second-place Democrat Party, with 165 seats, said it doubted the PPP's claim of a coalition.
The international community welcomed the Thai vote.
Canada is "pleased that Thailand has taken this step on the path back to democracy," Foreign Affairs Minister Maxime Bernier said in a statement.
With files from the Associated PressRelated
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