Thailand’s Abhisit Takes Aim at Thaksin’s Turf as ‘Brutal’ Election Nears - Bloomberg

Thailand’s Abhisit Takes Aim at Thaksin’s Turf as ‘Brutal’ Election Nears - Bloomberg: "Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva will seek to extend those gains in Thaksin’s northern stronghold when Thais head to the polls in June or July as he pushes for the Democrat party’s first nationwide victory in two decades. For Khayan, it won’t be easy to repeat his by-election success.

“This election will be a brutal fight,” he said on May 7 while campaigning at a funeral in Lamphun, which neighbors Thaksin’s home province of Chiang Mai. “I’m afraid I’ll be targeted again.”

Violence involving Thaksin supporters and opponents in a country known for its beaches and Buddhist temples reflect divisions rooted in class and ethnicity, and the role rural voters play in determining the outcome of elections. Thaksin and his allies have won the past four elections on strong support in northern areas, only to see legal challenges and a military coup overturn the last three results."