Economy / Thailand
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Historic Election Win
February 2005 | Ratings UpdateSorry, you must be a subscriber to view this article in full. If you are a subscriber please login.
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Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has become the first democratically elected leader to win a second consecutive term, after a landslide victory in Thailand's parliamentary elections leaving the opposition in disarray. For a country with a history of coups and coalition governments, the large mandate marks a new era of stable government, but brings fears that Thaksin's authoritarian tendencies may strengthen. While structural reform could improve Thailand's growth prospects, increased corruption and populist strategies risk undermining its credit-worthiness, amid limited checks and balances.