Opponents of outgoing Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra gathered today to celebrate their victory in forcing the Thai leader to step down, and to make plans for purging the next government of his legacy of alleged corruption and undemocratic rule.

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s party won a majority in snap elections, early results indicated today, although voters in Bangkok and southern Thailand cast a strong protest vote likely to inflame the country’s political crisis.

The Thai prime minister fired his agriculture and defence ministers today as part of a high-level shake-up aimed at tackling a deadly outbreak of bird flu and a bloody separatist insurgency in the Muslim-dominated south.

THE name of Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has become synonymous with the colour red.

Thailand's ruling Democrats have conceded defeat in the general election after exit polls showed a political party led by a scandal-tainted tycoon was sailing to an easy victory.