Chidchob Clan, Pheu Thai In Buri Ram Face Off

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LOCAL ELECTIONS

Chidchob clan, Pheu Thai in Buri Ram face off

The Nation

The focus of attention on the local elections in the 21 northeastern provinces this Sunday will certainly be on Buri Ram.

Contesting the post of president of the Buri Ram Provincial Administrative Organisation (PAO) are two major candidates from the powerful Chidchob family, and a third from the ruling Pheu Thai Party, which has attempted unsuccessfully to dominate this lower northeastern province. The fourth and fifth candidates are also well-known local politicians.

Karuna Chidchob, the incumbent PAO president, is seeking re-election and her key challenger is former Buri Ram senator Ussanee Chidchob.

Both are significant women in the life of banned politician Newin Chidchob, who is believed to be the de facto leader of the opposition Bhum Jai Thai Party. Karuna is his wife and Ussanee his elder sister.

Khajonthon Judto, a four-time MP for Buri Ram who failed to get elected in last year's general election, is contesting with the support of the Pheu Thai Party and its red-shirt followers.

Two other candidates are former Buri Ram MP Prasert Lertyaso and Surasak Somboonram, a former member of the Buri Ram PAO and ex-adviser to Karuna.

This is likely to be a close race among Karuna, Ussanee and Khajonthon, considering their political experience, support base and local connections.

Karuna is running with the backing of her husband Newin and Bhum Jai Thai's supporters and political canvassers. The party won seven out of the nine MP seats up for grabs in the province in the July 2011 election. The two other seats went to Pheu Thai.

Ussanee is expected to get major support from her father, former House speaker Chai Chidchob. Unlike Karuna, she has no support base of her own in the constituency and this could pose problems if she wins and becomes the next PAO chief.

Khajonthon's major support certainly comes from Pheu Thai and its "big boss" - former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra - as well as the red shirts and Bhum Jai Thai's political enemies who want to see changes in Buri Ram's politics after the Chidchob family's long domination.

The Chidchob clan could not come up with a single candidate after Newin fell out with Ussanee's husband, Chaowalit Arj-asa, whom he backed to win an election and become the PAO chief before Karuna. Chaowalit later became upset after Newin's men were sent to dominate his PAO's affairs. The rift led to a legal feud.

This upcoming local election is going to be a test of popularity between the split Chibchob family - representing one side with the support of Bhum Jai Thai - and Pheu Thai and the red shirts on the other side.

-- The Nation 2012-01-13

[whybother]

So, BJT are splitting their vote, which will probably give victory to the PTP candidate. Smart move ...... not.

[Huayrat]

So, BJT are splitting their vote, which will probably give victory to the PTP candidate. Smart move ...... not.

Karuna will win... All the nuts jobs that support her and her husbands football teams will vote for her for sure

[DP25]

So, BJT are splitting their vote, which will probably give victory to the PTP candidate. Smart move ...... not.

PTP opponents have proven themselves utterly incompetent time and time again when it comes to that and have lost countless seats to Thaksin allies that can't even come close to winning 50% of the vote. Had the Newin faction, the Dems, and other smaller parties not competed against each other in certain districts they all would have won many more seats and prevented any party from getting a majority. PTP are very good at squeaking out victories with 30% of the vote

Edited January 13, 2012 by DP25

[OzMick]

The Australian system of preferential voting would solve many of these problems, though would probably increase the time for a decision.

Voters opt for a 1 for their preferred party, OR a 1 - number of candidates. Lowest vote receiver is discarded, and any preferntial votes then distributed, and the process repeated until a clear winner. Allied parties can opt to share preferences.

[tragickingdom]

There must be a way to get Chidchob and Newin behind bars. Maybe the US wants them again. They were allowed to rob Thailand blind under Thaksin and Abhisit and his boss Suthep gave them even more possibilities to steal even more.

[whybother]

There must be a way to get Chidchob and Newin behind bars. Maybe the US wants them again. They were allowed to rob Thailand blind under Thaksin and Abhisit and his boss Suthep gave them even more possibilities to steal even more.

"Chidchob and Newin"? Which other Chidchob are you referring to?

[cardholder]

There must be a way to get Chidchob and Newin behind bars. Maybe the US wants them again. They were allowed to rob Thailand blind under Thaksin and Abhisit and his boss Suthep gave them even more possibilities to steal even more.

"Chidchob and Newin"? Which other Chidchob are you referring to?

father and son I imagine.

[Moruya]

There must be a way to get Chidchob and Newin behind bars. Maybe the US wants them again. They were allowed to rob Thailand blind under Thaksin and Abhisit and his boss Suthep gave them even more possibilities to steal even more.

Chidchob and Newin? How drole.