Pheu Thai's Failed Bangkok Governor Candidate Pongsapat To Return To Police Force

[webfact]

Pongsapat to return to police force
Olan Lertrudtanadumrongkul
Praphan Jindalertudomdee
Prapasri Osathanon
The Nation



Failed Pheu Thai candidate hints he might run again four years later

BANGKOK: -- Pheu Thai's failed Bangkok governor candidate Pol General Pongsapat Pongcharoen said he would tell PM Yingluck Shinawatra today he is returning to work as a police officer. He said he wouldn't take any political positions but would consider running for governor again in four years.

Pongsapat believed the duties of a policeman could help solve the troubles for people more than other occupations. He was not hoping to be the National Police chief, even though he had three more years in police service before his retirement age.

Pongsapat said it was normal for people to criticise him for returning to the police. But he wanted to work in a position that could benefit the community, such as solving problems like drugs and crime.

"I confirm I won't take up any political positions after receiving more than one million votes from Bangkokians.

"But in the next four years if Bangkok still has [the same troubles as] today, I may return to the Bangkok gubernatorial election again."

Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said yesterday the party would announce a gubernatorial team early next week to include four deputies, nine consultants, and a secretary.

'women must be given a chance'

He said at least one woman should be among the governor's administrative team. Such a suitable position would be as deputy Bangkok Governor.

The Election Commission yesterday voted to defer endorsement of Bangkok governor-elect Sukhumbhand Paribatra pending three investigations against him.

EC Secretary-General Phuchong Nutrawong said the EC voted 3-1 to defer the endorsement of Sukhumbhand for a month as allowed by the local administration election law.

Phuchong said Sukhumbhand faced three investigations - one by the EC and two by Bangkok Election Committee - over allegations that he framed his rival to cause misunderstanding among voters.

Phuchong said the EC is required by the law to endorse the victory no later than April 2.

Abhisit said the party was restructuring to bridge the differences between Sukhumbhand and party members. He said everybody understood the governor had many tasks and could not always join in the party's activities - but they were trying to reconstruct the system to solve this trouble.

Not just the Democrat Party, but also the Pheu Thai Party is restructuring its personnel and political strategies to capture Bangkok as a stronghold.

Khunying Sudarat Keyuraphan yesterday called a meeting with party MPs, and Bangkok and district councillors. She asked them to report on the problems found after the gubernatorial election, a Pheu Thai source who asked not to be named said.

Saroch Hongchuwech, deputy party director, said the party would "set zero" or reset all the system. Such a meeting would happen weekly with former premier Thaksin Shinawatra attending via Skype.

Saroch also said Sudarat had assigned MP Vicharn Minchainant to follow up on complaints and objections to the March 3 Bangkok governor election.


-- The Nation 2013-03-07

[ChrisY1]

Now that's a huge loss of face....) gotta love it!

[Locationthailand]

All is back to normal then.

[OzMick]

If he decides to run again in 4 years, at least he won't have to write a magic withdrawable resignation, being past retirement age. Nice to have powerful friends, isn't it? I wonder if he's entitled to back pay while he was busy elsewhere, as it seems he didn't resign after all - and is this little lurk available to anybody who wishes to contest an election, whatever party they wish to represent.

I can only wish him all the best in 4 years, and the same result.

Edited March 7, 2013 by OzMick

[Robby nz]

Saroch Hongchuwech, deputy party director, said the party would "set zero" or reset all the system. Such a meeting would happen weekly with former premier Thaksin Shinawatra attending via Skype.

I see Thaksin who we have been told has no input whatsoever into PT affairs will be there to do what..............?

[tragickingdom]

Failed Bangkok Governor Candidate? Don't think so. He easily beat the old record for the most votes ever in a Bangkok election and the difference between him and the winner was minimal. At the very least the Democrat Party has lost its majority in Bangkok, far less than 50% voted for the winner, and that has been very different in the past. It is difficult however for the fanboys of the Nation to report in a unbiased way about Thai politics.

[AleG]

Wow... some people drink the Kool-Aid. Others, apparently, snort it.

[Fozfromoz]

Failed Bangkok Governor Candidate? Don't think so. He easily beat the old record for the most votes ever in a Bangkok election and the difference between him and the winner was minimal. At the very least the Democrat Party has lost its majority in Bangkok, far less than 50% voted for the winner, and that has been very different in the past. It is difficult however for the fanboys of the Nation to report in a unbiased way about Thai politics.

Politics anywhere, does not give prizes or recognition for runners up= fail.

[SOTIRIOS]

....all in the family........all in the plan...........

[billd766]

Failed Bangkok Governor Candidate? Don't think so. He easily beat the old record for the most votes ever in a Bangkok election and the difference between him and the winner was minimal. At the very least the Democrat Party has lost its majority in Bangkok, far less than 50% voted for the winner, and that has been very different in the past. It is difficult however for the fanboys of the Nation to report in a unbiased way about Thai politics.

If he did not fail then he would be the governor would he not.

If you consider 200,000 votes or a difference of 20% as minimal I would hope that you are not a math teacher.

If he got more votes than Sukhumband then he would have won.

He didn't, therefore he LOST.

What is there to think about?

Sukhumband got more votes than any other Governer in the Bangkok elections as well and he still won.

Edited March 7, 2013 by billd766

[rubl]

Pongsapat to return to police force

Although our Pol. General Pongsapat has lost the Bangkok governor elections and seems almost happy about it, I still wonder about expressions like "back with a vengeance".

[Arkady]

Back to the hard life of extortion and intimidation and flashing those sparkling eyes at brain dead reporters.

[louse1953]

Failed Bangkok Governor Candidate? Don't think so. He easily beat the old record for the most votes ever in a Bangkok election and the difference between him and the winner was minimal. At the very least the Democrat Party has lost its majority in Bangkok, far less than 50% voted for the winner, and that has been very different in the past. It is difficult however for the fanboys of the Nation to report in a unbiased way about Thai politics.

Did he win,no,therefore by normal people's logic he failed.You can't spin that fact.

[Nickymaster]

Failed Bangkok Governor Candidate? Don't think so. He easily beat the old record for the most votes ever in a Bangkok election and the difference between him and the winner was minimal. At the very least the Democrat Party has lost its majority in Bangkok, far less than 50% voted for the winner, and that has been very different in the past. It is difficult however for the fanboys of the Nation to report in a unbiased way about Thai politics.

At the very least the Democrat Party has lost its majority in Bangkok, far less than 50% voted for the winner, and that has been very different in the past.

Are you sure?

Sukhumband - 2013 (1,256,349 votes = 47.75%)

Sukhumband - 2009 (934,602 votes = 45.47%)

Edited March 7, 2013 by Nickymaster

[h90]

ChrisY1, on 07 Mar 2013 - 06:46, said:

Now that's a huge loss of face....) gotta love it!

But surely a huge win on the bank account.

[rubl]

The number game. Democrats loose majority in Bangkok. Right.

Bangkok Governor and votes received
2000	Samak S.	TRT	1,016,096
2004	Apirak K.	Dems	911,441
2008	Apirak K.	Dems	991,018		45.93
2009	MR Sukhumbhant	Dems	934,602		45.47
2013	MR Sukhumbhant	Dems	1,256,231	46.25

[Buchholz]

Saroch Hongchuwech, deputy party director, said the party would "set zero" or reset all the system. Such a meeting would happen weekly with former premier Thaksin Shinawatra attending via Skype.

I see Thaksin who we have been told has no input whatsoever into PT affairs will be there to do what..............?

.

Cast blame upon the Pheu Thai Party Executive Committee that voted unanimously to select Police General Dr. Pongsapat as its candidate for Governor..... even though they were following Police Lieutenant-Colonel Dr. Thaksin's direction to do so.

.

[Buchholz]

Failed Bangkok Governor Candidate? Don't think so. He easily beat the old record for the most votes ever in a Bangkok election and the difference between him and the winner was minimal. At the very least the Democrat Party has lost its majority in Bangkok, far less than 50% voted for the winner, and that has been very different in the past. It is difficult however for the fanboys of the Nation to report in a unbiased way about Thai politics.

.

You're right. Police General Dr. Pongsapat actually won the election to be Bangkok Governor. It's all just been a horrible misunderstanding.

.

[jayboy]

The number game. Democrats loose majority in Bangkok. Right.

Bangkok Governor and votes received
2000	Samak S.	TRT	1,016,096
2004	Apirak K.	Dems	911,441
2008	Apirak K.	Dems	991,018		45.93
2009	MR Sukhumbhant	Dems	934,602		45.47
2013	MR Sukhumbhant	Dems	1,256,231	46.25

Thanks for these numbers whuch are useful up to a point but a chart (from Bangkok Pundit) showing numbers of votes and % of votes may be more enlightening:

Seems to be a trend here in the progress of PTP (and its predecessors) that even the feeble minded can detect.Can you spot it?

NOTE: Ind = Independent; Dem = Democrat Party candidate; and TS =

candidate of the pro-Thaksin party whether it is Thai Rak Thai, PPP, or

Puea Thai. This also includes Pavena who was an independent in 2004, but

was unofficially backed by Thai Rak Thai. Sources for 2013 are as

above. For previous elections, all figures from Wikipedia.

Edited March 7, 2013 by jayboy

[dcutman]

He said he wouldn't take any political positions but would consider running for governor again in four years.

Does this mean he is going to put in real effort to upgrade his image of being a telephone pole in the next 4 years?

[ballpoint]

The number game. Democrats loose majority in Bangkok. Right.

Bangkok Governor and votes received
2000	Samak S.	TRT	1,016,096
2004	Apirak K.	Dems	911,441
2008	Apirak K.	Dems	991,018		45.93
2009	MR Sukhumbhant	Dems	934,602		45.47
2013	MR Sukhumbhant	Dems	1,256,231	46.25

Thanks for these numbers whuch are useful up to a point but a chart (from Bangkok Pundit) showing numbers of votes and % of votes may be more enlightening:

Seems to be a trend here in the progress of PTP (and its predecessors) that even the feeble minded can detect.Can you spot it?

<Charts removed for brevity, see Post #19 for details>

Looks like both parties made up ground at the expense of the independants, with the PTP taking around 12% and the Democrats around 4% of the 16% (when the figures are rounded)lost by them. What can we conclude from that though? Will it continue at the next election? Will the independant vote dwindle away to zero, or will a popular independant candidate sweep the board? If you had used this data prior to the recent elections, would you have predicted a continuing fall in Democrats and rise in PTP popularity? As the pre-election polls suggested, it's very difficult to make any predictions on upcoming elections in the near future, let alone ones not scheduled for another 4 years,and who knows what the political situation will be like here by then? I guess I'm just not feeble minded enough to make a definite prediction based on this data. With your obviously better qualifications, perhaps you could enlighten us?

[jayboy]

Looks like both parties made up ground at the expense of the independants, with the PTP taking around 12% and the Democrats around 4% of the 16% (when the figures are rounded)lost by them. What can we conclude from that though? Will it continue at the next election? Will the independant vote dwindle away to zero, or will a popular independant candidate sweep the board? If you had used this data prior to the recent elections, would you have predicted a continuing fall in Democrats and rise in PTP popularity? As the pre-election polls suggested, it's very difficult to make any predictions on upcoming elections in the near future, let alone ones not scheduled for another 4 years,and who knows what the political situation will be like here by then? I guess I'm just not feeble minded enough to make a definite prediction based on this data. With your obviously better qualifications, perhaps you could enlighten us?

Your comments are sensible and I generally agree with them.I think the charts show the major parties are now level pegging wuth the independents having faded away but as far as I can see the Democrats have and will continue to have the advantage.Frankly my real point in showing these numbers was to refute the suggestion that the people are sending some kind of very clear message.They aren't.

[khunken]

When a weakened candidate manages to poll a record number of votes, I would think it's pretty obvious that a fair number were voting negatively (not a Thaksin man, thank you very much). But, of course, logical thinking doesn't count.

What's the betting that Pongsapat will receive a promotion in the next round of brown-nosed BIB party supporters?

[rubl]

A bit off topic with our Pol. General trying to return to a heroes welcome at the Police Force.

I have said a few times that the governor election was like a two horse race with 23 obstacles. It's nice to see others confirm this. For good order, the Bangkok Governor election had 25 candidates in total :-).
The table I provided before was just to 'emphasize' some other posters remark on the "Democrats losing their majority" which I think they never really had. The 'trend' was not part of post or my reaction. From the pictures provided via jayboy, I guess that over the period 2001 - 2013 the Dems moved from 11% of votes to 48% and the Pheu Thai improved from 23% to 41%.

So it seems that from 2009 to 2013 Pheu Thai got most of the independents, the Dems a few. One of those things. BTW just to reflect on this two horse race and the trend, in the general elections 2011 Bangkok had

Democrats	1,356,672 Constit.	1,246,057 Party list
Pheu Thai	1,277,669 Constit.	1,209,508 Party list

[jayboy]

When a weakened candidate manages to poll a record number of votes, I would think it's pretty obvious that a fair number were voting negatively (not a Thaksin man, thank you very much). But, of course, logical thinking doesn't count.

Logical thinking doesn't count for some certainly, though I suspect a few may be so prejudiced that it's just beyond them.And one or two appear to be plain thick.The high turnout was of course because Bangkokians knew there was a real contest, hence the very high numbers for both leading candidates and the marginalisation of the independents.

[Nickymaster]

When a weakened candidate manages to poll a record number of votes, I would think it's pretty obvious that a fair number were voting negatively (not a Thaksin man, thank you very much). But, of course, logical thinking doesn't count.

Logical thinking doesn't count for some certainly, though I suspect a few may be so prejudiced that it's just beyond them.And one or two appear to be plain thick.The high turnout was of course because Bangkokians knew there was a real contest, hence the very high numbers for both leading candidates and the marginalisation of the independents.

Why do you always have to say nasty things about the people here on TV? Why don't you just debate the subject instead?

Edited March 7, 2013 by Nickymaster

[khunken]

When a weakened candidate manages to poll a record number of votes, I would think it's pretty obvious that a fair number were voting negatively (not a Thaksin man, thank you very much). But, of course, logical thinking doesn't count.

Logical thinking doesn't count for some certainly, though I suspect a few may be so prejudiced that it's just beyond them.And one or two appear to be plain thick.The high turnout was of course because Bangkokians knew there was a real contest, hence the very high numbers for both leading candidates and the marginalisation of the independents.

Well, Pheu Thai seems to think that the negative vote played a part:

The Pheu Thai Party's spokesman said the Democrats had won because of

the "atmosphere of fear" the party had spawned during the campaign. The

Democrats were telling voters that, if they picked Pongsapat, they were

choosing the side of those who had resorted to violence in the city -

and that the central government under Premier Yingluck Shinawatra would

"monopolise" power if the Pheu Thai candidate became the next Bangkok

governor.

But, of course, those with a contrary view are prejudiced or thick. Such arrogance.

[jayboy]

When a weakened candidate manages to poll a record number of votes, I would think it's pretty obvious that a fair number were voting negatively (not a Thaksin man, thank you very much). But, of course, logical thinking doesn't count.

Logical thinking doesn't count for some certainly, though I suspect a few may be so prejudiced that it's just beyond them.And one or two appear to be plain thick.The high turnout was of course because Bangkokians knew there was a real contest, hence the very high numbers for both leading candidates and the marginalisation of the independents.

Well, Pheu Thai seems to think that the negative vote played a part:

The Pheu Thai Party's spokesman said the Democrats had won because of

the "atmosphere of fear" the party had spawned during the campaign. The

Democrats were telling voters that, if they picked Pongsapat, they were

choosing the side of those who had resorted to violence in the city -

and that the central government under Premier Yingluck Shinawatra would

"monopolise" power if the Pheu Thai candidate became the next Bangkok

governor.

But, of course, those with a contrary view are prejudiced or thick. Such arrogance.

Personally I don't buy everything the PTP leadership puts out and it is surprising you seem to (when it suits your purpose).Of course negative voting played a part:it does in every election - the question is to what extent.The same scare tactics were tried by Abhisit at the general election which I seem to remember didn't work out so well for him.You also keep overlooking the fact that Pongsapat won a huge following.It's not surprising PTP are casting around for excuses for a defeat it didn't expect.Didn't they also complain to the EC about malpractice on the part of their opponents? The fact is you have got yourself into a muddle because you are determined to draw some major conclusion for the PTP government and Thsaksin's position.Problem is the facts don't support you.

[rubl]

Personally I don't buy everything the PTP leadership puts out and it is surprising you seem to (when it suits your purpose).Of course negative voting played a part:it does in every election - the question is to what extent.The same scare tactics were tried by Abhisit at the general election which I seem to remember didn't work out so well for him.You also keep overlooking the fact that Pongsapat won a huge following.It's not surprising PTP are casting around for excuses for a defeat it didn't expect.Didn't they also complain to the EC about malpractice on the part of their opponents? The fact is you have got yourself into a muddle because you are determined to draw some major conclusion for the PTP government and Thsaksin's position.Problem is the facts don't support you.

Interesting logic. You don't buy into, but still wonder to what extend?

Pongsapat didn't 'win' a huge following. PM Yingluck and Pheu Thai with Thaksin's backing got a lot of votes like they did in 2011. A telephone pole might have gathered a huge number of followers.

BTW in a related newsflash it is reported that alcohol sales in Bangkok have reached unheard of heights. Mostly by desillusioned Pongsapat fans who find it difficult to console themselfves with the idea that their favorite simply drops out of politics after a very close and barely visible defeat. Allegedly that is, the sales I mean

[khunken]

When a weakened candidate manages to poll a record number of votes, I would think it's pretty obvious that a fair number were voting negatively (not a Thaksin man, thank you very much). But, of course, logical thinking doesn't count.

Logical thinking doesn't count for some certainly, though I suspect a few may be so prejudiced that it's just beyond them.And one or two appear to be plain thick.The high turnout was of course because Bangkokians knew there was a real contest, hence the very high numbers for both leading candidates and the marginalisation of the independents.

Well, Pheu Thai seems to think that the negative vote played a part:

The Pheu Thai Party's spokesman said the Democrats had won because of

the "atmosphere of fear" the party had spawned during the campaign. The

Democrats were telling voters that, if they picked Pongsapat, they were

choosing the side of those who had resorted to violence in the city -

and that the central government under Premier Yingluck Shinawatra would

"monopolise" power if the Pheu Thai candidate became the next Bangkok

governor.

But, of course, those with a contrary view are prejudiced or thick. Such arrogance.

Personally I don't buy everything the PTP leadership puts out and it is surprising you seem to (when it suits your purpose).Of course negative voting played a part:it does in every election - the question is to what extent.The same scare tactics were tried by Abhisit at the general election which I seem to remember didn't work out so well for him.You also keep overlooking the fact that Pongsapat won a huge following.It's not surprising PTP are casting around for excuses for a defeat it didn't expect.Didn't they also complain to the EC about malpractice on the part of their opponents? The fact is you have got yourself into a muddle because you are determined to draw some major conclusion for the PTP government and Thsaksin's position.Problem is the facts don't support you.

What 'facts'? None that I've seen don't support me. You have attempted to twist figures to suit your way of thinking so pot , kettle & black comes to mind.

I don't accept everything that any party puts out but I copied & pasted the quote from PTP to counter your arrogance. No, I didn't ignore Pongsapat, who IMO was a better candidate in a number of ways than Sukhumbhand. That's the point - he polled well but lost to a somewhat inferior candidate, meaning that there was another factor at work - which you choose to ignore.

Your comment on Abhisit is irrelevant (& actually wrong). In Bangkok (which this thread is about, in case you hadn't noticed) the Dems did rather well, despite (or quite possibly, because of) negative comments about Thaksin & his red shirts.

I'm in no muddle - you are actually allowing your bias to cloud your judgement.