By Thai Newsroom Reporters
LOPBURI – In what was seen as a rare phenomenon, as many as four former lawmakers are fiercely competing against one another in the Feb.8 election and in the central province where the total of constituencies has been reduced from five to four due to the Election Commission’s regrouping of its districts.
Compared to other constituencies of the central province where only a couple of ex-MPs may be vying against each other, Constituency 1 covering part of the capital district and all areas of Khok Samrong district has registered a record number of four ex-MPs relentlessly contesting against one another for a single MP seat.
That compared to Constituency 4 covering outer districts where only one ex-MP is seeking re-election against seven other candidates who virtually have never before found their way to parliament.
In Constituency 1, the four ex-MPs who are contesting against one another could not help blaming the polling agency for the unlikely phenomenon in which too many of them are engaging in strenuous, precarious campaigns for the same constituency with disposal of their vote-wooing resources rather than a partisan hype among prospective voters.
Three are running under the tickets of major contesting parties and one under the banners of a relatively minor camp, plus one also-ran who got the second largest vote in one of the central constituencies in the 2023 election.
The four ex-MPs vying against one another in Constituency 1 of Lopburi are Narin Khlangpa who is seeking re-election under the banners of the Bhumjaithai, currently core of the caretaker government steered by de facto party boss Newin Chidchob, Ubonsak Bualuang-ngam who is contesting under the tickets of the Pheu Thai, a previously ruling party under de facto boss/inmate Thaksin Shinawatra, Sathit Thavipon who is seeking re-election under the People’s tickets and Pichai Kiatvinaisakul running under the Palang Pracharath banners. The also-ran from the previous election, namely Paveena Vacharavorakul, is contesting under the Klatham steered by de facto party boss/Deputy Prime Minister-cum-Agriculture & Cooperatives Minister Thammanat Prompao.
Noticeably, some former lawmakers may have had to switch parties to seek re-election in constituency-based mode because two or more electoral contestants cannot legally run for the same constituency under the same party tickets.
For instance, in Constituency 3 covering outer districts of the central province, ex-MP Suchart Lainam-ngoen who had run in vain under the Pheu Thai tickets in the previous election finally switched from to the Palang Pracharath to compete against ex-MP Pahon Worapanya who is currently vying under the banners of Thaksin’s camp.
Meanwhile, three ex-MPs, all of who have switched parties to seek re-election in the Feb.8 race to parliament, are relentlessly competing against one another for an outer constituency of Supanburi.
Following the jaw-dropping departure of former Chart Thai Pattana leader Varawut Silpa-archa alongside nine other ex-MPs of the same party for the Bhumjaithai, Samerkan Thiengtham is now running for Constituency 4 under the tickets of Newin’s camp and engaging in fierce competition against Yutthana Bhotasuthon who has skipped over from the Palang Pracharath to the Klatham and Saharat Kulsri who has left the Pheu Thai for the Palang Pracharath.
Yutthana’s uncle, namely ex-Chart Thai Pattana secretary-general Prapat Bhotasuthon, had been earlier anticipated to depart for Thammanat’s camp alongside his nephew but finally followed Varawut to Newin’s camp.
Last month’s exodus of those ex-Chart Thai Pattana MPs spearheaded by Varawut, son of the late prime minister/party leader Banharn Silpa-archa, has immensely bewildered and disappointed most voters in all five constituencies of the central province where the Chart Thai Pattana had predominantly occupied for one half of a century.
Probably running short of campaign finance, Banharn’s son desperately turned to the de facto Bhumjaithai boss for help. Varawut who was the only Chart Thai Pattana contestant elected in party-listed mode in the 2023 election is currently running in party-listed mode under the Bhumjaithai banners whilst all five ex-MPs of Supanburi who were elected in constituency-based mode in the previous race are still vying in the same mode under the tickets of Newin’s camp to retain their MP seats.
CAPTIONS:
Above – (Left image, front) Palang Pracharath candidate/ex-MP Pichai Kiatvinaisakul, (back) Bhumjaithai candidate/ex-MP Narin Khlangpa, (right image, from left to right) Pheu Thai candidate/ex-MP Ubonsak Bualuangngam, People’s candidate/ex-MP Sathit Thavipon and Klatham candidate Paveena Vacharavorakul. Both photos – Thai Newsroom Reporters
First insert – (From left to right) Pheu Thai candidate/ex-MP Ubonsak Bualuangngam, People’s candidate/ex-MP Sathit Thavipon and Klatham candidate Paveena Vacharavorakul. Photo – Thai Newsroom Reporters
Second insert – (Front) Palang Pracharath candidate/ex-MP Pichai Kiatvinaisakul, (back) Bhumjaithai candidate/ex-MP Narin Khlangpa. Photo – Thai Newsroom Reporters
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