Bangkok Mayor's Race Begins

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Bangkok mayor's race begins

Pavena Hongsakul, a candidate for new Bangkok mayor is cheered by her supporters after the registration in Bangkok, Thailand Monday, July 26, 2004.

--AP

BANGKOK: -- A sex industry tycoon, a prominent women's rights advocate and a maverick politician with pub-brawling sons have emerged as leading candidates for the Bangkok mayor's race which officially began Monday.

Voters will go to the polls Aug. 29 to elect a city hall chief to run this sprawling metropolis and Thai capital of more than 10 million.

There's no clear front-runner among the 28 candidates who submitted their applications on the first of five days of registration.

But recent polls have shown that Chuwit Kamolvisit, known as Bangkok's massage parlour king, and Pavena Hongsakul, a former parliament member who gained prominence for fighting abuse of women and children, are current favourites among the 3.8 million eligible voters.

Chuwit's popularity is attributed to his stinging attacks on police corruption - he claims they extracted small fortunes in bribes from his entertainment empire - and disillusionment over mainstream politics.

"I don't care if Chuwit's a bad man," television director Nukul Boon-iam said recently. "It's not like politics isn't full of bad people already."

Others with considerable following are maverick politician Chalerm Yoobamrung, a former policeman once charged but not indicted on gambling charges who more recently has taken an unwanted spotlight for the brawling habits of his three sons.

One of his slogans - "I love Bangkok as I love my sons" - is not going down well with voters still angry over the acquittal of his youngest son for slaying a policeman in one nightclub fight.

Big on sex appeal but regarded as lacking experience is Apirak Kosayodhin, a former marketing executive who is running under the banner of the opposition Democrat Party, which traditionally has scored well in city elections.

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's ruling party, the Thai Rak Thai, is determined to secure the mayor's seat and appears to have thrown its weight behind Pavena, who however insists that she's running as an independent.

Thousands of supporters turned up early Monday at City Hall to cheer on their candidates.

--AP 2004-07-27