Key players in Thailand's election

BANGKOK: Thailand votes Sunday in an election seen as crucial to the future of the troubled kingdom. These are the main players behind the vote:

The Democrat Party:

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva's ruling Democrat Party, founded in 1946, is a conservative, pro-monarchy and establishment force, backed by the military and most of the Bangkok-based elite.

The Democrats, who have not won a general election since 1992, took power via a parliamentary vote in 2008 after court decisions threw out governments allied to former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a 2006 coup.

The Democrats' main power bases have traditionally been the capital and southern provinces, while northern rural areas are strongholds for the opposition.

Puea Thai Party:

The main opposition party, whose name means "For Thais", is the third incarnation of the party founded by the fugitive Thaksin.

The favourite to win the vote, its main contender for prime minister is Thaksin's sister, political novice Yingluck Shinawatra.

Thaksin has dubbed Yingluck, 44, his "clone" and she is seen as his political proxy, echoing much of his earlier populist platform and raising the possibility of an amnesty for politicians including her brother.

Thaksin Shinawatra:

The toppled prime minister remains the most dominant figure in Thailand's political landscape five years after his ouster, despite living in self-imposed exile in Dubai to avoid a 2008 jail term for corruption.

Still pulling the strings of the Puea Thai Party and a hero to masses of mainly working-class "Red Shirts" for his vote-winning policies such as cheap healthcare and microcredit schemes, he is also wanted on terrorism charges for inciting unrest during their protests last year.

Though idolised by many, especially in the rural north, the man who made his millions in telecoms is hated by the ruling elite, who see him as corrupt and a threat to the revered monarchy. He is also accused of human rights abuses.

The Army:

Having staged 18 actual or attempted coups since the country became a constitutional monarchy 79 years ago -- most recently to oust Thaksin -- the army is no stranger to meddling in politics.

Its powerful chief, General Prayut Chan-O-Cha, launched a thinly veiled attack on Yingluck last month, calling on the public to vote for "good people", in an apparent reflection of the army's nervousness over her popularity.

The military sees itself as the guardian of the monarchy and often cites perceived threats to the beloved royal institution to justify its actions.

The potential kingmakers:

If neither of the main parties wins an outright majority in Sunday's election, potential coalition partners would be thrust into the role of kingmakers in the formation of a government.

The party likely to come third is the two-year-old Bhum Jai Thai ("Thai Pride") spearheaded by banned politician Newin Chidchob, a friend-turned-foe of Thaksin's who plans to remain allied with the Democrats.

Other small parties such as Chart Thai Pattana seem more willing to align themselves with Puea Thai.

The King:

Although he has no official political role, King Bhumibol Adulyadej is seen as a stabilising force in the troubled country.

The 83-year-old king, the world's longest-reigning monarch and revered as a demi-god by many Thais, has been in hospital since September 2009.

The royals are a taboo subject and rights groups have been alarmed by the increased use of lese majeste rules to suppress freedom of expression, including several high-profile arrests.

Copyright AFP (Agence France-Presse), 2011