How Thailand's election works

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Thais vote on Sunday in a general election that Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva hopes will settle a long-running political conflict in the deeply divided country.

Below are some facts about the election and how a government will be formed.

DEMOCRATIC UPHEAVAL

- The election will be Thailand's 26th since it became a democracy in 1932, ending seven centuries of absolute monarchy. It has since been governed by 17 constitutions and has experienced 18 military coups -- actual and attempted -- the latest in 2006, which overthrew telecoms tycoon Thaksin Shinawatra and his Thai Rak Thai party (TRT)

- TRT is the only Thai political party to win a second term in office, as a result of landslides in 2001 and 2005. The party was dissolved for electoral fraud after the coup. Its latest incarnation is the Puea Thai Party, which remains under Thaksin's control from exile.

KEY FIGURES

- 47 million eligible voters among Thailand's estimated 67 million people. The turnout in recent polls has been relatively high at 74.5 percent (2007), 60 percent (2005) and 70 percent (2001).

- There are 557 polling stations across the country.

- 42 parties have signed up to take part in the election. Seven parties won parliamentary seats in the 2007 poll.

- Lawmakers are elected for a four-year term.

- 500 seats are up for grabs, an increase of 20 from the 2007 election. There will be 375 constituency seats available from 76 provinces and the capital, Bangkok, which has a quota of 33 of those seats. The remaining 125 seats will be decided by the party list vote.

THE BALLOT

- Voters will tick two boxes on their ballots, one for their preferred constituency candidate and another for their preferred party at a national level; the latter decides who gets "party list" seats, allocated according to the percentage of votes each party gets. Each has nominated a list of candidates for their party list quotas. There is no minimum percentage required to win one of these 125 party list seats.

- Polling stations will be open from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. (0100-0800 GMT) on Sunday. Results will be announced from each constituency and a clear indication of which party will finish first should be known by about 8 p.m. (1300 GMT).

FORMING A GOVERNMENT

- According to the 2007 constitution, the new parliament must convene within 30 days of the poll to select a house speaker. There are then another 30 days in which to hold a vote on who will be prime minister. However, the entire process is normally completed within one month of the poll.

- In the event that no party wins a majority of more than 250 seats, the party with most seats, or a plurality, will be given first chance to form a coalition government with other parties.

- If the party that wins a plurality is unable to form a coalition, the second-placed party gets a chance.

(Compiled by Martin Petty; Editing by Alan Raybould and Nick Macfie)