Poll boycott leaves fragile Thai democracy in limbo

The Thai prime minister’s party swept a snap election boycotted by the opposition, early results today showed, though a majority of voters in most parts of the capital cast a protest ballot for no candidate.

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s ruling party ran uncontested in 278 of 400 constituencies for the lower house of Parliament, leaving little doubt from the start that the embattled prime minister would be returned to office.