Chalermluk wins Patong mayoral election

[Lite Beer]

Chalermluk wins Patong mayoral election
The Phuket News

PHUKET: -- Former MP Chalermluk Kebsap has been declared the winner of the Patong mayoral election today (April 26) with 4,390 votes, beating out former mayor Pian Keesin's 3,330 votes.

Former MP, Chalermluk Kedsap, won the election to decide Patong's next Mayor.
As expected, former council member Kittisun Kuru placed third with only 580 total votes.

Just over 8,500 voters out of Patong's 12,651 registered voters came out to cast their ballots, about 68 per cent.

Ms Chalermluk, leader of the Patong Fah Mai (Patong New Sky) Party, was previously elected twice to represent Phuket in Thai Parliament with the Democrat Party.

Chalermluk comes from an influential local family - owners of hotels, restaurants, and commercial real estate -and her brother-in-law, Chai'anan Sutikul, is Mayor of neighboring Kathu.

She campaigned on a five-plank election platform, all of which involved wiping out negative aspects of Patong: people using public land for private gain, deterioration of natural environment, flooding, traffic woes, and "Mafia" activities.

Her main opponent was former mayor Pian, who was continuously elected to the position for many year until last September. At that time, he and four others were suspended pending investigation of allegations they had a hand in rigging the previous year's mayoral election by "importing" voters from Phang Nga and registering them at Patong addresses.

Former mayor Pian is also the chairman of the Patong Taxi Federation, whose members were expected to feature large in the electorate.

Kittisun, meanwhile, was regarded as a rank outsider in this election and was expected to receive only a handful of votes.

Alcohol sales will be banned until midnight tonight (April 26).

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/chalermluk-wins-patong-mayoral-election-45929.php

-- Phuket News 2014-04-26

[stevenl]

If I recall correctly in another thread nearly everybody here was predicting Keesin to win, easily according to the comments.

Good news for Patong I think that is not the case.

[NamKangMan]

I hope this will be a positive change for Patong, and Phuket in general.

Maybe the locals have realised they have lost so much money in recent times, due to the Keesin way of operating, that he should go.

I also hope the new Mayor has many bodyguards.

[LivinginKata]

Quite a surprise that Pian lost. Very please too see him out. Only 8,500 voters. Small number for control of such a cash cow.

[JetsetBkk]

Quite a surprise that Pian lost. Very please too see him out. Only 8,500 voters. Small number for control of such a cash cow.

Perhaps all the tuk-tuk drivers and other assorted mafia types hadn't made it back from Songkran to vote.

If she sticks to her manifesto, this could spell good news for Patong's residents, tourists and businesses.

Give it a couple of years and I might even venture over the hill to have a look.

Personally, I would have used a different finger in the direction of Keesin:

Edited April 26, 2014 by JetsetBkk

[Somtamnication]

I a sooooooooooooooooooooooo glad that other guy is out. I had a bad experience with his deputy mayor at my school and I tambooned a few times to Bhudda to get those people out.

Now that daddy has no power, how about the son, who controls the taxi mafia in Patong?

[lucjoker]

Can someone report on the money given by the 3 candidates?

Just to see if the winner gave the most or maybe not?

As your wife maybe?

Would be interesting to know.

[LivinginKata]

Can someone report on the money given by the 3 candidates?

Just to see if the winner gave the most or maybe not?

As your wife maybe?

Would be interesting to know.

My wife was completely disinterested and did not vote. Much like how disinterested I am in voting in my home country. It's all just political BS. All out for their own self interest.

[lucjoker]

Can someone report on the money given by the 3 candidates?

Just to see if the winner gave the most or maybe not?

As your wife maybe?

Would be interesting to know.

My wife was completely disinterested and did not vote. Much like how disinterested I am in voting in my home country. It's all just political BS. All out for their own self interest.

Yes ,you are right,i also didn't vote for 20 years.

I was just curious if the highest bidder won the election .

But probl i will never know.

I live in a small village ,my wife's family is the biggest and has about 30 family members voting,so when my wife (boss of family) goes to the voting ,

she got 800 bht /pers.from the oldest candidate AND 1000bht/pers from the new candidate before the vote.

You guess they voted for the new one and told the old candidate he was too :kineauw

2 days later the money was transformed in beer ,telephone and food,lol

[eezergood]

I was one of the ones that got this wrong! Still shocked he didnt win, this could make a huge difference to PAtong - or not

[NamKangMan]

I was one of the ones that got this wrong! Still shocked he didnt win, this could make a huge difference to PAtong - or not

I also was one of the ones that got this wrong.

After so many years in power, and with all that black money, he was so tight that he couldn't out bid his opposition for votes to be re-elected.

Just goes to show how greedy the guy is.

Anyway, the new Mayor has a big job ahead of her, fixing up all the damage done to the tourism industry in Patong, and the flow on effect it had for wider Phuket, from Keesin's long reign as Mayor.

[KarenBravo]

Maybe the voters didn't want money this time, but genuine change?

[eezergood]

Maybe the voters didn't want money this time, but genuine change?

My staff got 3000 - 3500 each!

[NamKangMan]

Maybe the voters didn't want money this time, but genuine change?

My staff got 3000 - 3500 each!

Can you ask your staff how did they determined who got 3000 baht and who got 3500 baht?

Was it 3500 baht in the morning, and then as the counting showed a lead, it reduced to 3000 baht?

Edited April 29, 2014 by NamKangMan

[KarenBravo]

Maybe the voters didn't want money this time, but genuine change?

My staff got 3000 - 3500 each!

From Pian, or the winning candidate?

[steelepulse]

Or both?

[NamKangMan]

So, there were around 8500 votes counted, or voters.

If we take the average from eezergood's post at 3250 baht per vote, or voter, that comes to 27,625,000 baht. Let's round that up to say 27,700,000 baht.

27,700,000 baht is about $858,500USD or 619,300 euros or 510,500GBP.

That's the price of the top job in Patong.

I think it would be very easy to recoup that outlay over the period of your time in office, and a lot more, not to mention all the other gifts, gratuities, sponsorships etc etc.

Quite cheap really, for the top job for one of Thailand's major tourism money earners.

Edited April 29, 2014 by NamKangMan

[Thai at Heart]

Ain't democracy a wonderful thing

[eezergood]

Maybe the voters didn't want money this time, but genuine change?

My staff got 3000 - 3500 each!

Can you ask your staff how did they determined who got 3000 baht and who got 3500 baht?

Was it 3500 baht in the morning, and then as the counting showed a lead, it reduced to 3000 baht?

Cannot get a straigh answer, but they all voted at the same time - we provided a shuttle service to allow them to vote. Only 1 said she got 3500, so it could be the old oneupsmanship kickin in..... but they definatley got paid, as they all had cash with 3 day before pay day!

[eezergood]

Maybe the voters didn't want money this time, but genuine change?

My staff got 3000 - 3500 each!

From Pian, or the winning candidate?

Pian, or as they said from #1 kap

[KarenBravo]

Maybe the voters didn't want money this time, but genuine change?

My staff got 3000 - 3500 each!

From Pian, or the winning candidate?

Pian, or as they said from #1 kap

Which proves my point that the voters actually wanted change.

[eezergood]

Pian, or as they said from #1 kap

From Pian, or the winning candidate?

Which proves my point that the voters actually wanted change.

Yup - and his grab, grab techniques have worn thin

[steelepulse]

Perfect, out of pocket and out of a job. I'm sure everyone in Patong was tired of #1 kap except those that directly benefited. A normal person running a business gets tired of having to put up with the nonsense that the cronies and those making their monthly payments were allowed to get away with.

[Guest]

Do the vote sellers have to give a proof of voting the paying candidate or is that option not allowed by law (no cameras allowed at the voting booth)?

[schlog]

So, there were around 8500 votes counted, or voters.

If we take the average from eezergood's post at 3250 baht per vote, or voter, that comes to 27,625,000 baht. Let's round that up to say 27,700,000 baht.

27,700,000 baht is about $858,500USD or 619,300 euros or 510,500GBP.

That's the price of the top job in Patong.

I think it would be very easy to recoup that outlay over the period of your time in office, and a lot more, not to mention all the other gifts, gratuities, sponsorships etc etc.

Quite cheap really, for the top job for one of Thailand's major tourism money earners.

Between 4000-5000 voters are enough. Since many years with 10 Mio Baht you buy Patong.

[eezergood]

So, there were around 8500 votes counted, or voters.

If we take the average from eezergood's post at 3250 baht per vote, or voter, that comes to 27,625,000 baht. Let's round that up to say 27,700,000 baht.

27,700,000 baht is about $858,500USD or 619,300 euros or 510,500GBP.

That's the price of the top job in Patong.

I think it would be very easy to recoup that outlay over the period of your time in office, and a lot more, not to mention all the other gifts, gratuities, sponsorships etc etc.

Quite cheap really, for the top job for one of Thailand's major tourism money earners.

I was told, approx total cost to him was in the region of 40,000,000 - to her more!

[LivinginKata]

So, there were around 8500 votes counted, or voters.

If we take the average from eezergood's post at 3250 baht per vote, or voter, that comes to 27,625,000 baht. Let's round that up to say 27,700,000 baht.

27,700,000 baht is about $858,500USD or 619,300 euros or 510,500GBP.

That's the price of the top job in Patong.

I think it would be very easy to recoup that outlay over the period of your time in office, and a lot more, not to mention all the other gifts, gratuities, sponsorships etc etc.

Quite cheap really, for the top job for one of Thailand's major tourism money earners.

I was told, approx total cost to him was in the region of 40,000,000 - to her more!

So ... where did all that extra money go ? Sure does not compute with that 3,000 - 3,500 baht compensation per voter. Some key players must have received some very big money.

[NamKangMan]

So, there were around 8500 votes counted, or voters.

If we take the average from eezergood's post at 3250 baht per vote, or voter, that comes to 27,625,000 baht. Let's round that up to say 27,700,000 baht.

27,700,000 baht is about $858,500USD or 619,300 euros or 510,500GBP.

That's the price of the top job in Patong.

I think it would be very easy to recoup that outlay over the period of your time in office, and a lot more, not to mention all the other gifts, gratuities, sponsorships etc etc.

Quite cheap really, for the top job for one of Thailand's major tourism money earners.

I was told, approx total cost to him was in the region of 40,000,000 - to her more!

So ... where did all that extra money go ? Sure does not compute with that 3,000 - 3,500 baht compensation per voter. Some key players must have received some very big money.

Well, that's what I was thinking, but, you know, there's no honour amongst thieves and all.

I'm guessing this election is a reflection of what we all already know, and that is, whilst tourists numbers are up, profits are down, and that's because Phuket's main tourist area has been run in such a way that the people with money to spend, the traditional western market, do not come here anymore in the numbers they used to, because the place is a debacle.

They probably saw more years of loss in the future, under Keesin, and voted him out.

I hope under new administration, Patong, and therefore Phuket, will regain some of the market it lost, and therefore some more prosperity than it has in recent times.

The next important step will be to dismantle his son's evil doings.

Edited April 30, 2014 by NamKangMan

[LivinginKata]

You do dream on NKM. Do you really think there is any forward 'business' plan here in Patong or even Phuket. The usual thinking is for today, and tomorrow might not arrive. It's a shocking observation I have arrived at after many years talking to local Thais. Even my own dear wife of 18 years has the same philosophy.

[NamKangMan]

You do dream on NKM. Do you really think there is any forward 'business' plan here in Patong or even Phuket. The usual thinking is for today, and tomorrow might not arrive. It's a shocking observation I have arrived at after many years talking to local Thais. Even my own dear wife of 18 years has the same philosophy.

Hey, I have a positive outlook for Phuket's future, LIK.

Can't you see it in my posts?

Seriously, Phuket is more corrupt than Myanmar (Burma) when it was fully under the military junta, and being in a so called democracy, so, without any international sanctions, I'm sure it will just go from strength to strenth here.

Edited April 30, 2014 by NamKangMan