People play a board game

People play a board game in an impoverished slum in central Bangkok February 21, 2011. Data on Monday showed Thailand’s economy rebounding from a mild recession in the fourth quarter.

The economy, Southeast Asia’s second biggest, will feature prominently in a likely general election this year, particularly among the rural and urban poor. In Thailand, the richest 20 percent of the population earn about 55 percent of the income, while the poorest fifth get 4 percent, according to the World Bank.   REUTERS