Sukhumbhand Re-Elected Bangkok Governor, Defeats Pongsapat In Major Upset

[Lite Beer]

Sukhumbhand re-elected Bangkok governor, defeats Pongsapat in major upset
By Coconuts Bangkok

Democrat Party candidate MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra has been elected to a second consecutive term as the governor of Bangkok.

At the time of this writing, with 99.79% of the votes counted, Sukhumbhand has secured 1,254,111 votes and Pongsapat Pongcharoen, his closest rival, has received 1,074,677. Pongsapat is the first Bangkok gubernatorial candidate to earn more than one million votes without securing the governorship.

Voter turnout for the governor’s election hovered near 63%, failing to meet the 70% goal set forth by the City Clerk’s office. The office speculated that rains, which came and went intermittently throughout the day, kept many would-be voters at home.

The race officially ended when Pheu Thai Party candidate Pongsapat Pongcharoen gave a concession speech, along with Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, shortly after 6pm. In the speech, both Pongsapat and the PM vowed to work closely with the Democrat-led BMA.

Supporters who had gathered at Pheu Thai headquarters on Petchaburi road to watch the election results had a more vociferous reaction. A pugilistic mood persisted following Pongsapat’s concession speech and, as Sukhumbhand’s victory speech played on nearby television, many Pheu Thai supporters took to yelling at the governor elect’s image. One woman even went so far as to strike the television with her shoe.

During his celebratory press conference, which was broadcast from Democrat Party headquarters, Sukhumbhand promised to work hand-in-hand with the Yingluck government to the benefit of all Bangkokians.

Though Pongsapat was forecast as the winner in three separate exit polls, Democrats turned out to vote in droves, ushering Sukhumbhand to a surprise victory.

As implied by the debate surrounding this year’s gubernatorial race, Sukhumbhand’s victory carries with it at least as many implications for national politics as it does for politics within Bangkok.

Pongsapat’s defeat means that the Pheu Thai Party, heir to exiled ex-prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s Thai Rak Thai Party, will face a major stumbling block in its efforts to consolidate power throughout Thailand. While campaigning, Pongsapat pushed his ability to work seamlessly with the federal government as one of his main selling points, implying that his connection with Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra’s central government would make him a more effective governor. Even international observers speculated that were he to be elected, it would make it much easier for the Pheu Thai Party to implement a laundry list of high-profile infrastructure projects.

Now that Pongsapat has lost the governor’s election, it means that the Pheu Thai Party will have to contend with the Democrat Party, Thailand’s oldest, in a position of significant power for at least the next four years.

Sukhumbhand will enter his second term as governor carrying behind him a questionable legacy.

Though the Democrats’ middle and upper class base has given him an implicit vote of confidence, minor scandals and aborted projects dog the governor elect’s heels.

During his first term, Sukhumbhand came under fire for his role in the construction of the Bangkok Futsal Arena, which failed to gain approval from FIFA for its ostensible purpose of hosting the 2012 Futsal World Cup.

Sukhumbhand has also faced accusations of corruption in relation to the installation of dummy security cameras throughout Bangkok and the awarding of BTS contracts.

However, during his first term as governor, Sukhumbhand also saw Bangkok through the devastation of the 2011 floods and significant additions to its transportation infrastructure.

For his second term, Sukhumbhand has promised to undertake a variety of projects, including the installation of 27,000 CCTV cameras and 20,000 Wi-Fi hot spots throughout Bangkok.

Source: http://www.coconutsbangkok.com/news/sukhumbhand-re-elected-bangkok-governor-defeats-pongsapat-in-major-upset/

-- Coconuts Bangkok 2013-03-03

[cardholder]

My initial reaction is that this will maintain a sort of balance in Bangkok politics.

Am I wrong ?

[Lite Beer]

Sukhumbhand wins with more than 1.2 million votes: unofficial results

Democrat candidate Sukhumbhand Paribatra won the Bangkok governor election according to unofficial results by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, which has so far finished 99.97 per cent of vote tally.

At 7:32 pm, the BMA has finished counting the ballots by 6,546 out of 6,548 polling stations or by 99.97 per cent.

The results showed Sukhumbhand got 1,255,960 votes while Pheu Thai candidate Pongsapat Pongcharoen got 1,77,262 votes.

-- The Nation 2013-03-03

[Bluespunk]

Nice to hear the reds accepted defeat so well. How long before the "it was stolen from us" myths start to circulate?

[MaxLee]

Didn't Sukhumband want to retire from Bangkok Governorship? Or was it just a diversion????

- let the broken futsal tiles start over again....

.... or did the Pheu Thai pay under the table for Sukhumband, in order to save his face to create another diversion??? <- Right after the motto: "We can't let the public see us took perfectly dominating, or otherwise they see there's something wrong, so we let our rival win at least once and continue the rice scam, flood scam, power scam etc...

Diversion=Face

Edited March 3, 2013 by MaxLee

[MaiChai]

It can't be good that one party has total power thorough out the country? Maintains some checks and balances? First artical was very biased to one side.

Thailand will never get away from corrupt politics. Some are less corrupt than others!

[toenail]

I just hope he can do some simple things...such as improve the sidewalks, enforce crazy drivers (oops, that is the police department) - what "power" will he have?

[ChrisY1]

Good.....I didn't like Pongys' hair style!!.....and the teeth!

[Mosha]

Nice to hear the reds accepted defeat so well. How long before the "it was stolen from us" myths start to circulate?

We were watching the losers conference. My wife said one of the blokes was saying a lot of dead people voted.

[rubl]

I was preparing this post in the topic which just got closed. So let me just put it here.

It would seem some of the apologists have woken up early.

I'm too lazy to search, but I vaguely remember many to say this would be a clear move away from 'old politics', 'the fine impression our PM makes on all', 'police officers are so much liked in Bangkok', 'seamless co-operation', etc., etc.

By now it seems to be 'doesn't matter', 'well done Pheu Thai'.

Anyway it looks like we got a 60++% turnout of voters, something Pheu Thai had stressed as being important for their candidate. The rain and only Dem's being chauffeur driven (as our dear gKid mentioned) must have played havoc on all carefully laid out plans. Interesting is also that the Bangkok Governor race seems to have polarized voters a bit more again. We seem to have close to 90% of votes for two candidates when in 2009 that was 75%. Of course it could be none of the other 23 candidates this time were really inspiring voters who have to vote for the top two assuming they wanted to vote. And now we have to wait and see in how far the Pheu Thai led government really committed to resolve various problems in co-operation with the new Bangkok governor. BTW, where there any 'real' commitments?

[MEL1]

I'm surprised he didn't cry about the outcome.

-mel.

[Buchholz]

Mind you if she came walking I feel sorry for her three young kids who came with her to vote too.

No photo, but I would almost bet that the boy would be wearing sunglasses :-)

.

Good call, but you should have included the entire clan wearing sunglasses, indoors, on an overcast, rainy day outdoors.

Although I'd have to believe the four billionaires were all chauffeur-driven, they did have to struggle with managing a Mercedes Benz umbrella on their own, but that just proves they're not elite.

.

Is the 4th dependant Oaf's significant other?

.

Sorry for not being clearer, the four billionaires cited were Potjaman and her 3 children.

The straggler on the far left in the photo is Potjaman's son-in-law, Nuttaphong Kunakornwong (husband of daughter Pintongta, far right).

Although after their marriage, he was honorarily put into the position of Deputy CEO of Thaksin's SC Asset Corp., I don't believe he's a billionaire in his right, as the other four individually are.

.

[Buchholz]

I can't wait to see the excuses you will offer up if the PTP candidate wins.

.

And vice versa... what excuses are you offering up for the PTP candidate losing?

.

[hellodolly]

Well I don't know if he is the best man for the job or not. but I do know it sent a message to the Shinawarta clan that they are not as popular as they thought they were. Also it is good not to have one family running the show.

Does any one think the PT is smart enough to try to run a government for the people?

[ballpoint]

Nice to hear the reds accepted defeat so well. How long before the "it was stolen from us" myths start to circulate?

We were watching the losers conference. My wife said one of the blokes was saying a lot of dead people voted.

It was actually a promise. Once the reds find out who voted for the Democrats...

[Lite Beer]

Sukhumbhand thanks voters for reelecting him in Bangkok governor election
By Digital Media

BANGKOK, March 3 - Sukhumbhand Paribatra of the opposition Democrat Party thanked voters for giving him a second chance in Bangkok gubernatorial election on Sunday, promising to work harder for all and thanked Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra for pledging to work smoothly with him.

It was the fourth victory for the Democrats after nine years of running City Hall.

"I would like to thank you all for giving me another chance and for trusting the Democrat Party to run the capital for 12 years. The party will go ahead to make it be 16 years. I promise that I will work harder for all, even for those who did not vote for me," Mr Sukhumbhand told a cheering crowd of supporters at the party headquarters.

"I would like to thank the prime minister for pledging to work seamlessly with me and I will also do likewise," he said.

The former governor celebrated his re-election victory shortly after his rival from the ruling Pheu Thai Party Pol Gen Pongsapat Pongcharoen conceded defeat after more than 80 per cent of the unofficial tally showed Mr Sukhumbhand leading with more than one million votes with the former deputy police chief receiving more than 800,000 votes.

An unofficial result as of 8.08pm when 100 per cent of the vote tally was complete, Mr Sukhumbhand won 1,256,231 votes, followed by Gen Pongsapat with 1,077,899 votes, and former police chief Seripisut Temiyavej garnering 166,582 votes followed by 78,825 votes for Suharit Siamwalla, an independent candidate.

Voter turnout overall accounts for 2,715,640 people or 63.98 per cent of the total 4,244,465 eligible voters.

Gen Pongsapat earlier congratulated his Democrat rival for securing the City Hall office for a second term, promising to work with Sukhumbhand for a better life for Bangkokians.

Speaking at a joint news conference at Pheu Thai party headquarters, Ms Yingluck gave congratulations for the unofficial victory of Mr Sukhumbhand, pledging that her government is ready to work with the newly-reelected governor smoothly in the future.

The premier thanked all voters who supported for the Pheu Thai candidate and assured Bangkokians that her party will continue to serve them after learning their grievances while on the campaign trail.

The Thai capital of Bangkok is a special administrative zone. Its governor is elected directly by eligible voters and has a four-year term in office. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2013-03-03

[Arkady]

So he won by what looks like from unofficial results about the same percentage margin as in 2009, i.e. 15%. Not a bad result for the Dems considering that they fielded an incumbent whose track record is considered somewhat uninspiring and the massive financial resources pitted against them by Pheua Thai.

If you add the no. 3 ranked candidate, Seripisut, who was an independent but closely allied with the PAD, that increases the margin of anti-Thaksin votes.

In the last election in 2009, PT came second and Nattakorn, the pro-Thaksin son of Pridyathorn came 3rd. If you added both together as pro-Thaksin votes, there were marginally more than Sukhumbhand.

So the margin of anti-Thaksin votes was considerably higher in 2013 vs 2009, Perhaps the Bangkokians coudn't forget about the burning of their city.

PT said it was unfair to remind them of the burning of Bkk by Thaksin's red shirts but it is a stone cold fact. In similar vein the Southerners can't forget the attrocities committed in the South at Tak Bai and elsewhere and which party was behind them.

[MEL1]

As long as it keeps another PTP tw"i"t out of the BKK running, and Abhisit is still in control of some areas, I can only say today's result has made me smile, with a wide grin.

Up yours, Yinglick, and your confidence in the Bangkokians coming your way - for once, the people voted in the right direction.

-mel.

[kevvy]

It can't be good that one party has total power thorough out the country? Maintains some checks and balances? First artical was very biased to one side.

Thailand will never get away from corrupt politics. Some are less corrupt than others!

hopefully they will get away from yingluck and her brother who are full of corruption

[473geo]

A good wake up call for PTP, not a poor performance by any means in what would be considered a Democrat stronghold, but PTP need to deliver......

[GentlemanJim]

So let the sweepstake commence before we are presented with 'evidence' from the police at every polling station of people wandering in wearing yellow shirts several times and the police with their hand held counters saying too many people entered the polling both or too few entered for the number of votes cast.! I give it 12 hours from now, or 12 hours from the end of a recount, whichever comes later. I imagine in flight that the PM has been choking on her smorgesbord.

[Arkady]

Since Yingluck has promised to work smoothly with Sukhumbhand, she is either lying or the reasons she gave to voters for voting for Pongsapat must be a lie. LOL.

[Buchholz]

Mr Sukhumbhand won 1,256,231 votes

.

The most votes any candidate for Bangkok Governor has ever received.

.

Edited March 3, 2013 by Buchholz

[Arkady]

A good wake up call for PTP, not a poor performance by any means in what would be considered a Democrat stronghold, but PTP need to deliver......

When you consider the Dems fielded a candidate they didn't want who has shown himself to be uninspiring, it is a pretty severe trouncing for PT.

One of their big campaign tactics that is very successful in the NE and N only works in the poorest wards of Bangkok, like Don Muang, Laksi, Min Buri etc, which is big disadvantage. The more affluent wards aren't interested in an extra 1,000 baht. It is also very hard to intimidate Bkk voters in the same way voters are intimidated in red villages etc.

Edited March 3, 2013 by Arkady

[khunken]

Quote from the other thread:

RT@CoconutsBangkok: Sec Gen of the Department of Mental Health
has warned people not to have seizures over close #bkkvote election
results, says @raydo_thairath

I hope the good PTP & Red Shirt supporters on Thaivisa take this warning to heart.

[Payboy]

I missed all this due to the ThaiVisa outage. Did the dark horse win?

[Thai at Heart]

A good wake up call for PTP, not a poor performance by any means in what would be considered a Democrat stronghold, but PTP need to deliver......

When you consider the Dems fielded a candidate they didn't want who has shown himself to be uninspiring, it is a pretty severe trouncing for PT.

One of their big campaign tactics that is very successful in the NE and N only works in the poorest wards of Bangkok, like Don Muang, Laksi, Min Buri etc, which is big disadvantage. The more affluent wards aren't interested in an extra 1,000 baht. It is also very hard to intimidate Bkk voters in the same way voters are intimidated in red villages etc.

That's a stuffing, indeed

[ianf]

Since Yingluck has promised to work smoothly with Sukhumbhand, she is either lying or the reasons she gave to voters for voting for Pongsapat must be a lie. LOL.

Typical to hear of the undemocratic response from some PTP voters. The party that calls for democracy has no idea what the word means. Happy that the red shirts got what they deserved.

[Arkady]

Mr Sukhumbhand won 1,256,231 votes

.

The most votes any candidate for Bangkok Governor has ever received.

.

Yes, by a long margin.

It looks like the number of eligible voters has expanded significantly, which should have helped PT, and the turnout was up too.

[DaamNaam]

Nice to hear the reds accepted defeat so well. How long before the "it was stolen from us" myths start to circulate?

Give them a few days, won't be long though.