Bangkok:
The sister of exiled former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra led Thailand's main opposition party to a landslide victory in elections on Sunday, heralding an extraordinary political turnaround five tumultuous years after her fugitive billionaire brother was toppled in an army coup.
The vote paves the way for 44-year-old Yingluck Shinawatra, who has never held office, to become the Southeast Asian kingdom's first female prime minister.
Thaksin was barred from politics years ago after a graft conviction and US-educated Yingluck, who he calls "my clone", is widely considered his proxy.
The incumbent premier, Abhisit Vejjajiva, conceded defeat late on Sunday and said he was ready to become the opposition.
"From the election results that have emerged right now, it's obvious that the Pheu Thai Party has obtained victory in the election," he told supporters at his party's headquarters.
"The Democrats are conceding defeat and would like to congratulate them on being able to form the government and congratulate Yingluck for becoming the prime minister," Abhisit added.
With 98 percent of the vote counted, preliminary results from the Election Commission showed the Pheu Thai party far ahead with 264 of 500 parliament seats, well over the majority needed to form a government.
The Democrat party of army-backed Abhisit had 160 seats.
Speaking to a throng of cheering supporters at the party headquarters, Yingluck declined to declare victory until final results were released.
But she told supporters that rather than saying the Pheu Thai had won, "I'd rather say the people have given the Pheu Thai party and myself a chance to serve them".
She added the party would work on improving the people's well-being and leading the country toward unity and reconciliation.
Abhisit and his allies believe Yingluck is plotting Thaksin's return through a proposed amnesty that would apply for political crimes committed since the coup.
Yingluck says it is aimed at reconciling all Thais - not just her brother.
Thailand has witnessed chaotic political conflict since Thaksin was ousted by a military coup five years ago for corruption and anti-monarchy allegations.
Street protests have frequented the capital, Bangkok.
Last year's demonstrations and clashes with the military left more than 90 people dead and nearly two-thousand injured.
A large mandate to govern could help the new government navigate a way out of out of the crisis that has plagued Thailand since Thaksin's 2006 overthrow.
But the question remained whether the nation's elite power brokers, including the monarchy and the army, would accept the result.
The vote paves the way for 44-year-old Yingluck Shinawatra, who has never held office, to become the Southeast Asian kingdom's first female prime minister.
Thaksin was barred from politics years ago after a graft conviction and US-educated Yingluck, who he calls "my clone", is widely considered his proxy.
The incumbent premier, Abhisit Vejjajiva, conceded defeat late on Sunday and said he was ready to become the opposition.
"From the election results that have emerged right now, it's obvious that the Pheu Thai Party has obtained victory in the election," he told supporters at his party's headquarters.
"The Democrats are conceding defeat and would like to congratulate them on being able to form the government and congratulate Yingluck for becoming the prime minister," Abhisit added.
With 98 percent of the vote counted, preliminary results from the Election Commission showed the Pheu Thai party far ahead with 264 of 500 parliament seats, well over the majority needed to form a government.
The Democrat party of army-backed Abhisit had 160 seats.
Speaking to a throng of cheering supporters at the party headquarters, Yingluck declined to declare victory until final results were released.
But she told supporters that rather than saying the Pheu Thai had won, "I'd rather say the people have given the Pheu Thai party and myself a chance to serve them".
She added the party would work on improving the people's well-being and leading the country toward unity and reconciliation.
Abhisit and his allies believe Yingluck is plotting Thaksin's return through a proposed amnesty that would apply for political crimes committed since the coup.
Yingluck says it is aimed at reconciling all Thais - not just her brother.
Thailand has witnessed chaotic political conflict since Thaksin was ousted by a military coup five years ago for corruption and anti-monarchy allegations.
Street protests have frequented the capital, Bangkok.
Last year's demonstrations and clashes with the military left more than 90 people dead and nearly two-thousand injured.
A large mandate to govern could help the new government navigate a way out of out of the crisis that has plagued Thailand since Thaksin's 2006 overthrow.
But the question remained whether the nation's elite power brokers, including the monarchy and the army, would accept the result.
Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world
