People’s tipped to win seven Nayok Or Bor Jor

TNR Staff

1 year ago

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By Thai Newsroom Reporters

THE PEOPLE’S PARTY is speculated to win seven Nayok Or Bor Jor or heads of provincial administration in the upcoming Saturday’s elections, according to a NIDA academic.

The reformist party currently in the opposition bloc at parliament is more or less expected to win seven heads of provincial administration, also known in Thai as Nayok Or Bor Jor, in the contests scheduled for Feb.1 in 47 provinces nationwide, according to Pichai Rattanadilok na Phuket, director of NIDA’s Doctorate Project on Politics & Development Strategies.

Those pro-People’s provincial seats, deemed as a potential, significant catalyst to varied provincial development projects, include the central provinces of Samut Prakan, Samut Songkhram and Nakhon Nayok, the eastern provinces of Rayong and Trat, the southern province of Surat Thani and the northern province of Chiang Mai, which is the native city of de facto Pheu Thai boss Thaksin Shinawatra.

The Pheu Thai allegedly steered and domineered behind the scenes by Thaksin, father of Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, is the largest ruling party which has sent most candidates vying for Nayok Or Bor Jor, followed by those under tacit support from the Bhumjaithai, the second largest coalition partner under de facto party boss Newin Chidchob.

Pichai said the People’s which is contesting Nayok Or Bor Jor in 17 out of the total 47 arenas in all regions of the country would likely win votes from middle-class constituents in urban areas and large-sized municipalities whilst the Pheu Thai and Bhumjaithai candidates, among others, would decidedly rely on ”Big House” powers in respective provinces.

The NIDA academic said the People’s contenders have obviously focused on policy matters which could considerably contribute to varied development projects in those provinces whilst most of the “Big House”-associated contestants would largely solicit assistance and influence from national-level figures such as MPs and members of cabinet, either past or present.

Remarkably, Pichai said, many of the Pheu Thai and Bhumjaithai-backed candidates are not only associated with “Big House'” elements but more or less connected with large-sized construction contractors in their respective provinces.

Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit and Pita Limjaroenrat, former leaders of the court-dissolved Future Forward and Move Forward respectively, have eagerly jumped onto the People’s electoral campaign trails whilst the de facto Pheu Thai boss has frustratedly vented out verbal barrages at his critics, most of whom are by no means involved in the Nayok Or Bor Jor elections, with swear words publicly uttered at several instances.

The billionaire power player has largely touched on national-level political and economic issues rather than specific provincial topics during the open speeches which he has made under the pretext of being a “campaign aide” for his partisan candidates.

CAPTION:

Pita Limjaroenrat and Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit helping People’s candidates in the provincial elections campaign late last year. All photos of Pita Limjaroenrat by Naewna, and those of Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit by Thai Rath