This morning, candidates in the June 16 by-election in Bangkok’s Constituency 12 gathered at the Don Muang district office to register and draw the signifiers that they will use in their campaigns.
Nine candidates showed up to the ceremony, representing nine different parties. The Democrat Party’s Tankhun Jittitsara received No. 8 while the Pheu Thai Party’s Yuranant Pamornmontri was awarded No. 9.
This by-election is being held after the disqualification of Pheu Thai MP Karun Hosakul, who was convicted of slandering Tankhun during the 2011 general election.
The Don Muang area has long been a stronghold of the ruling Pheu Thai Party. In 2011, Karun defeated Tankhun by about 7,000 votes. This upcoming by-election has been dubbed as “the war of actors,” as both Tankhun and Yuranant started their careers as actors before turning their attention to politics.
