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Thai PM gets small boost from by-elections

(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-01-12 13:52

BANGKOK - Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva received a boost from weekend by-elections, increasing his parliamentary majority by 11 seats to 48, domestic media reported on Monday.

Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva delivers his maiden policy speech at the Foreign Ministry in Bangkok December 30, 2008.[Agencies]

The Bangkok Post said Abhisit's coalition, led by his Democrat party, picked up 20 seats in Sunday's run-off. The opposition Puea Thai party and its allies only gained 9 seats, according to the paper.

The results were in line with expectations.

The by-elections were called to fill the seats of 29 MPs banned from politics for five years by a December 2 court ruling that dissolved the previous People Power Party-led (PPP) administration for vote fraud.