Ballot numbers for the 14 people seeking to lead Bangkok were unveiled today.
Less than two months before voters go to the polls, 14 people including an opposition party member and popular former transport minister arrived on the first day of registration this morning to declare their candidacies for May’s gubernatorial election.
Among the marquee candidates are former Pheu Thai Party Transport Minister Chadchart Sittipunt, who heads into campaigning favored to win. He will have to defeat Wiroj Lakkhana-adisorn, a lawmaker with the progressive Move Forward Party, and former university rector Suchatvee Suwansawat of the old-guard Democrat Party.
Former fighter pilot Sgn. Ldr. Sita Divari announced just yesterday that he will run as a candidate of the Thai Sang Thai Party, a new political offshoot led by former Pheu Thai heavyweight Sudarat Keyuraphan.
Bangkok Gov. Aswin Kwanmuang also resigned from his position to contest the election. He was installed by the ruling junta in 2016 also is running for the election.
Prospective candidates have until Monday to register at Bangkok City Hall 2 in the Din Daeng area.
Election Day is May 22, which also happens to be the eighth anniversary of the 2014 coup d’etat.
There are an estimated 4.3 million voters eligible to cast a ballot, according to acting governor Khajit Chatwanich. The last election in 2013 saw recorded 4.2 million eligible votes with 2.7 million – 64% – doing so at polling stations.
Here are the candidates as of publication time with the numbers you will soon see beaming from posters everywhere in town:
No. 1: Wiroj Lakkhana-adisorn (Move Forward Party)
No. 2: Lt. Col. Thita Rangsitpol Manitkul (Independent)
No. 3: Sakoltee Phattiyakul (Independent)
No. 4: Suchatvee Suwansawat (Democrat Party)
No. 5: Weerachai Laoruangwattana (Independent)
No. 6: Aswin Kwanmuang (Independent)
No. 7: Rosana Tositrakul (Independent)
No. 8: Chadchart Sittipunt (Independent)
No. 9: Watcharee Wannasri (Independent)
No. 10: Supachai Tantikhom (Independent)
No. 11: Sgn. Ldr. Sita Divari (Thai Sang Thai Party)
No. 12: Prayoon Krongyot (Thai Sriwilai Party)
No. 13: Pisarn Kittiyaowamarn (Independent)
No. 14: Thanet Wongsa (Independent)
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