THAILAND: PM APPARENT THAKSIN SHINAWATRA

Eng/Thai/Nat XFA A Thai telecommunications tycoon, whose future is clouded by corruption charges, has moved swiftly to shape a coalition government, although early election results indicate his party may have enough support to lead Thailand on its own. Two television stations monitoring exit polls said Thaksin Shinawatra's Thai Rak Thai, or Thai Love Thai party had won 256 of the 500 seats in the lower House of Parliament in Saturday's general election. This would give the party the required majority to rule Thailand without forming a coalition. But Thaksin said on Sunday that he wanted a majority of about 320 seats to form a stable government. SOUNDBITE: (English) "Right now it's still unofficial. Even today after the final count it's still unofficial. So we might be formed loosely between some parties as a coalition, but we should not go in detail, or the numbers and portfolios." SUPER CAPTION: Thaksin Shinawatra, Thai Prime Minister apparent SOUNDBITE: (English) "I don't think so, you know especially I know myself I'm innocent. This is not a corruption case, it's the misreport which is not really a big deal for the political career. (Reporter asks question) I feel comfortable. I feel comfortable. I think the constitution would give me a fair treatment." SUPER CAPTION: Thaksin Shinawatra, Thai Prime Minister apparent Despite a drive to eradicate graft in recent years, the vote appears to show that Thais prefer the scandal-tainted Thaksin to Chuan Leekpai, the scrupulously honest but uninspiring prime minister whose success in improving the troubled economy has varied. Speaking from his home province of Trang in southern Thailand, Chuan said he wouldn't participate in a coalition and conceded his role was now in opposition. SOUNDBITE: (Thai) "The result is quite clear, everybody knows the answer in their mind, how many seats each party has won. There is one party who has almost won enough seats to set up the government. So there should not be the complication that other parties will compete in setting up the government. Other coalition parties who have been campaigning together can join in, without a problem." SUPER CAPTION: Chuan Leekpai, Outgoing Thai Prime Minister The Thai electoral commission says it's monitoring votes closely for fraud during the counting. It hopes to have final results confirmed within 30 days. You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/771a3ce6ee4d0aa240fe0602ed37a181 Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork