Thaksin expected to win strong mandate for anti-poverty agenda

Thaksin swept into office in a landslide victory in 2001, promising to improve the lot of impoverished villagers.

He has generally received high marks for implementing his proposals, even as a string of unforeseen crises demanded his government's urgent attention, from outbreaks of Sars and bird flu, to a bloody Islamic insurgency and the tsunami's unprecedented devastation.

But his grand ambition to eradicate poverty by 2009 remains the great unsolved challenge -- one he will face growing pressure to meet, especially if his Thai Rak Thai party wins the large majority it hopes for in tomorrow's polls.

"He will have a strong mandate," said Chaiwat Khamchoo, former dean of political science at Chulalongkorn University. "He will be more confident to promote his policy."

Sukhothai Thammathirat University political analyst Thawee Suraritikul said "people expect the government to follow through on its promise to find a solutions for the problems of poverty, and they are likely to receive solutions. This government has done what it promised in the last four years."

Thaksin's economic program successfully gave a shot in the arm to the rural economy, with low-rate loan schemes and health care programmes, as well as a slew of public works projects.