Chadchart wins landslide victory as Bangkok governor

By Thai Newsroom Reporters

CHADCHART SITTIPUNT has today (May 22) struck a landslide victory in Bangkok’s gubernatorial election with a record 1.37 million-plus votes, according to unofficial reports.

Chadchart who has run as a non-partisan candidate was believed to have won in all 50 districts of Bangkok with the 1.37 million-plus votes recorded as the highest ever given in the history of the gubernatorial elections in the Thai capital.

Chadchart who has prepared himself for two and a half years to contest the gubernatorial race announced that he will work for every Bangkokian, including those who may not have voted for him in the first place.

“I will do my job for the interest of all Bangkokians on an equal basis. We may have different views but we must not hold grudges or animosity against one another….I will make Bangkok a beautiful metropolitan and make it suitable for all Bangkokians to stay in.

“I will carry out the interesting projects left over from the time of former governor Aswin (Kwangmuang) and cooperate with all Bangkok Metropolitan councillors, ” Chadchart said.

Chadchart who had been earlier attached to Pheu Thai Party and ranked as one of a trio of the opposition party’s candidates for head of government after the 2019 general election for MPs pledged to make positive change in the capital, given a four-year tenure as its governor.

Also-rans in the gubernatorial election, the first in nine years, were, among others, former King Mongkut Institute of Technology Ladkrabang campus rector Suchatvee Suwansawat who has run under the tickets of the coalition Democrat Party and been given some 252,000 votes, former Move Forward MP Wiroj Lakkhanaadisorn who has run under the banners of the opposition party and secured some 251,000 votes, former deputy Bangkok governor Sakoltee Pattiyakul who has been given some 228,000 votes, Aswin who has run as an “independent” candidate and grasped some 213,000 votes, former woman senator Rosana Tositrakul who has been given some 78,000 votes and former Thai Rak Thai MP Sita Tivari who has contested under the banners of Thai Sarng Thai Party and secured some 73,000 votes.

Today’s voter turnout in the Bangkok gubernatorial election has been reported at 60%, compared to 63% in the previous race of 2013.

Meanwhile, most winning contestants in the 50-strong Bangkok Metropolitan council election have run under the tickets of Pheu Thai Party and Move Forward Party combined, according to the unofficial reports.

Those referred to the Pheu Thai candidates who have reportedly won 19 councillor seats, compared to 14 seats grasped by Move Forward contenders, nine seats secured by Democrat contenders, two seats by Thai Sarng Thai candidates and two seats by Palang Pracharath candidates each. Four other councillor seats were reportedly given to non-partisan contenders.

In Pattaya, Paramet Ngampichet has won today’s mayoral election with 14,000-plus votes, according to unofficial reports.

Paramet has contested neck-and-neck for Pattaya mayor against Sinchai Watanasartsathorn who has reportedly secured some 12,000-plus votes, followed by some 8,800 votes for Kittisak Nilwatanatochai.

Paramet is viewed as closely connected with the Khunpluem family members, including former Pattaya mayor Sonthaya, Chonburi provincial administrative organisation chairman Wittaya and Culture Minister Itthipol whereas Sinchai is known as personally close to Labour Minister Suchart Chomklin and Kittisak has run under the tickets of Progressive Movement.

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Former transport minister Chadchart Sittipunt after his big victory today. All photos: INN News