Chuan watches Trang’s Democrat ‘capital’ fall to rivals

By The Nation

 

File photo : Chuan Leekpai

 

The cruellest blow of many suffered by the Democrat Party on Sunday might have been the loss of a heretofore-untouchable House seat representing Constituency 1 in Trang, home province of its revered former leader Chuan Leekpai.

 

Niphan Sirithorn of the Phalang Pracharat Party, a former governor of the southern province, snatched it away from veteran Democrat campaigner Sukij Attopakorn.

 

In a ballot count that remains unofficial pending Election Commission endorsement, Niphan garnered 37,849 votes to Sukij’s 36,297.

 

Constituency 1 was regarded as the “capital” of Democrat strength.

 

Chuan, who twice served as prime minister, votes there and is greatly admired locally, so previously all a Democrat candidate needed to win was his blessing.

 

Chuan, now chief adviser of the Democrats, monitored the counting of votes in Trang from his home, in the company of about 100 party supporters and canvassers.

 

The gathering fell silent when Abhisit Vejjajiva announced on TV late Sunday night that he was fulfilling a vow to resign as party leader if the Democrats failed to win at least 100 seats.

 

Unofficial results on Monday morning gave the party 55 seats.

 

The Democrats’ Sathit Wongnongtoey will be returning to Parliament to represent Trang’s Constituency 2, having won 45,431 votes to beat Phalang Pracharat’s Wiroj Thong-oh-iam, who mustered 32,119 votes.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30366496

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2019-03-25

Chuan should realize now that he has been stab in the back by the military that his party supported for past years. He should also realized that it’s folly to trust the military over the people. 

I don't know if its good that prayuth won or not. I know the election is still a sham. Red shirts have vowed to return if Dems win, vice versa for the yellow shirts. We need to wait another 5-10 years for the new leaders like Thanathorn to make a change and let the old dinosaurs die out.

The more I read the more I believe the election results are legitimate. Power people from the old school being defeated, upsets all over the place and not by the junta-backed party. The junta-backed party also losing seats they were expected to win. Off course the deck is stacked with the military chosen senate but the election part seems credible to me.