Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra answers questions from Thai and foreign reporters after proclaiming victory at Thai Rak Thai headquarters last night. —PHRAKIT JUNTAWONG

POST REPORTERS

Thai Rak Thai has made history by grabbing the lion's share of MP seats in a high-riding poll victory to lead a single-party government while critics also labelled yesterday's general election one of the dirtiest the country has ever seen.

Thai Rak Thai looks set to pull off a landslide victory. But even the most exaggerated predictions were dwarfed by the exit poll result pointing to the party's tally surpassing 350 seats from the constituency and party list elections.

The party's huge electoral margin has virtually driven all other parties to oblivion. It has more than double the number of MPs as the Democrats, Mahachon and Chart Thai parties put together, according to the Suan Dusit exit poll.

Less than two hours after the poll closed at 3pm, the exit poll confirmed the Democrats' worst fear _ that its arch rival Thai Rak Thai swept through most constituencies nationwide. It was likely to end up with almost 400 out of 500 MPs seats in both the constituency and party list systems.

"I'm not the kind to stick to positions" BANYAT BANTADTAN

BANHARN SILPA-ARCHA

ANEK LAOTHAMMATHAT

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra talks to Maj-Gen Chamlong Srimuang, his former mentor, when they met yesterday at a polling unit at Setsathien School in the Bang Phlat area. —APICHIT JINAKUL

A tense-looking Maj-Gen Sanan Kachornprasart, Mahachon party's chief adviser, waits for official results at his Sanam Bin Nam residence in Nonthaburi. —CHANAT KATANYU

Chart Thai party leader Banharn Silpa-archa, right, gestures during a press conference at party headquarters. Mr Banharn is pictured with deputy party leader Somsak Prisnananthakul, centre, and party director Nikorn Chamnong, left. —PATTARACHAI PEECHAPANICH

Mr Thaksin added half of the new cabinet lineup would come from the party list and the other half from outsiders.

He insisted cabinet members, their assistants as well as advisers would be acceptable to the people and had no problem working with him. He would not hesitate to replace them at the first sign of incompetence.

He added the change would be progressive, "not a 180-degree turn." Mr Thaksin said he would willingly embrace scrutiny.

"I'm all ears to the voices of the people. The government will open its door to everyone," he said.

Mr Thaksin denied he was a dictator. Only few people had any idea how democratically-minded he was. "Watch me. In four years, don't come crying that I've gone overboard with democracy," Mr Thaksin said.

The day he decided to wash his hands of politics, he would do so in a dignified manner. He would ensure he had a political heir who was well-versed in managing and developing the party before he stepped down. The heir would also need to be adept at national administration and earn people's endorsement.

Mr Thaksin repeatedly ruled out approaching the Chart Thai party to join the new coalition government.

He said 350 seats was sufficient to go solo in taking national helm. But he would chat with Chart Thai leader Banharn as a matter of etiquette.

Mr Banharn said he had no hard feelings. "I will keep my promise with Mr Thaksin to support him as prime minister. But Chart Thai party also has a responsibility and standpoint to counter the government," he said. "Politics is not a personal matter."

Mahachon party leader Anek Laothammathat said people found themselves without any political choice now that Thai Rak Thai could govern the country alone.

"This is akin to an election in a communist country," he said. The Thai Rak Thai had the resources at its disposal to run publicity campaigns to lure voters and warned people in the North and Northeast they would not receive development funds if they turned their back on it.

He said elections should be about allowing people to make informed choices and not purely a competition.

The government formulated policies that turned people into consumers instead of owners of the country. If Mr Thaksin rejected checks and balances, corruption would fester on an enormous scale, he said.

Meanwhile, Banyat Bantadtan said he would resign as leader of the Democrats, if the party obtained fewer than 100 seats. He admitted he was taken aback by predictions of the party shrinking.

It was baffling why the party fared poorly in Bangkok. He repeated he would take full responsibility by resigning.

"I'm not the kind to stick to positions," he said. Abhisit Vejjajiva, the party deputy leader, urged Thai Rak Thai to "open up space" for people and the media to keep tabs on it and participate in political decision-making.

He maintained that in winning such wide parliamentary majority the party only deserved even closer and more effective monitoring.

"Don't sideline the people's and the media's rights to expression," he said.

Mr Abhisit said that any change the party must make post-election would be done in a way that would not compromise its political standpoint and disappoint its traditional supporters.

Mr Abhisit added many people were living in fear during the two weeks leading up the election. Power abuse had been rampant and the voters were afraid to let exit poll organisers in on the election choices they made.

Prapat Pothivorakun, chairman of the Industry Federation of Thailand, said he wanted the government to stimulate state and private investments to ensure steady growth. He was confident the government had a plan prepared. Business leaders said they believed the result would dispel any lingering doubts about political stability, which should be good for the country's standing with investors abroad.