ROANOKE TIMES 

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, July 3, 1995                   TAG: 9507030092
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A9   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: BANGKOK, THAILAND                                 LENGTH: Short

RULING PARTY LOSES IN THAI ELECTIONS

A rural-based party narrowly defeated the ruling Democrats to win Sunday's general election, and its leader forged a six-party coalition government, news reports said.

According to unofficial results, the Chart Thai (Thai Nation) Party led by Banharn Silpa-archa won 92 seats, while Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai's Democrat Party captured 87, the Bangkok Post reported today.

Official results were expected later in the day. Twelve parties fielded 2,285 candidates for 391 seats in the lower house of parliament in balloting that was marred by widespread vote-buying in rural areas and Bangkok slums.

- Associated Press 


 by CNB