Thai general election:

Polls open in tight race

Thailand:Thais have begun voting in what is expected to be a tight general election, one that could prove pivotal to the future of the kingdom. Sunday’s poll is the first major electoral test for the government since mass opposition rallies in Bangkok last year, which sparked a military crackdown that left around 90 people dead.

Yingluck Shinawatra, the head of the Pheu Thai party and sister of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, is expected by pollsters to have an edge. She is standing against Abhisit Vejjajiva, the incumbent prime minister and leader of the Democrat party.

Thaksin Shinawatra has lived in self-imposed exile in Dubai since being deposed by the military on charges ofcorruption in a 2006 coup.

His “Red Shirt” supporters rallied in central Bangkok last year, bringing the area to a standstill for two months. Demonstrators set buildings on fire, forced businesses to shut down and clashed with security forces.

The Democrat party wants Shinawatra to return to the country to stand trial for corruption.

“There are 90,000 polling stations ... across Thailand open now, 180,000 police have been deployed in order to keep the peace. We’re not expecting any widespread violence.

Sunday,Al Jazeera