By Thai Newsroom Reporters
THAI LIBERAL PARTY has won an MP seat, widely defeating an archrival Thai Economic Party in today’s (July 10) by-election in Lampang, and turned out to be the first MP of the opposition party to have been elected in constituency-based mode.
Thai Liberal candidate Dejthavee Srivichai won 53,971 votes, defeating Thai Economic contestant Wattana Sitthivang who was given 29,928 votes in Constituency 4, covering five districts of the northern province.
Dejthavee has been elected as the first Thai Liberal MP vying in constituency-based mode since all 10 others of the opposition party including party leader/former police chief Seripisut Temiyavej were only elected in party-listed mode out of the 2019 general election.
The winning contestant had been earlier viewed as an underdog whilst the Thai Economic candidate had been earlier tipped to make it to parliament after he had been given a yellow card in a previous by-election in the same constituency due to vote-buying allegations.
Earlier this year, MP Thammanat Prompao spearheaded an exodus of 21 MPs, including Wattana and himself, from largest coalition partner Palang Pracharath Party under leadership of Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan to Thai Economic Party where he currently performs as top leader and has repeatedly claimed to be an “independent” one.
CAPTION:
Thai Liberal Party candidate Dejthavee Srivichai, centre, and his team after winning today’s by-election. Photo: Matichon
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