Bangkok - Official results from Thailand's general election yesterday showed the charismatic telecoms tycoon, Mr Thaksin Shinawatra (51), took almost twice as many seats as his rivals but fell short of an overall majority.
The Election Commission said Mr Thaksin's populist Thai Rak Thai (Thais Love Thais) party won 248 seats in the 500-seat lower House of Representatives in the general election in January. The Democrat Party of the outgoing Prime Minister, Mr Chuan Leekpai, won 128 seats.