BEHIND the News
ANUCHA CHAROENPO
Apirak Kosayodhin's convincing victory in the Bangkok governor election suggests not only a rise in popularity of the Democrat party in the capital, but also a decline in support for the Thaksin Shinawatra-financed People Power party (PPP).
Sunday's unofficial result showed Mr Apirak securing a second four-year term thanks to almost a million votes, or close to double those received by his nearest rival, Prapas Chongsa-nguan.
The PPP candidate earned around 550,000 votes.
That Mr Apirak received more votes than he did in the 2004 election could be seen as evidence of swelling support for the Democrats. Likewise, Mr Prapas, a former governor of the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand, may have failed in his first push for City Hall possibly because of the dwindling support for the PPP.
The Democrat was in the driving seat from early on in the contest, as the party enjoys overwhelming voter support in the capital. It swept 27 of the 36 Bangkok parliamentary seats in the Dec 23 general election, with the remaining nine seats being filled by the ruling PPP.
The PPP, not considering itself in with a chance to win the race at the start, decided at the last minute to field Mr Prapas, gambling that his success in delivering the country's first subway line would be enough to convince Bangkok residents to vote him in and turn the tables on Mr Apirak.
Mr Prapas, however, had only one month to campaign and was seemingly an independent candidate in all but name, attempting to secure votes by canvassing under the umbrella of a major party.
But he and the PPP overestimated support for the party in the capital. While the PPP and Thaksin-style politics in general are favoured by the rural majority, Bangkok's greater proportion of middle-class residents think differently.
Had Mr Prapas run as an independent after all, he may have had a greater chance at victory.
Alternatively, if he wished to chance his arm at politics under the PPP, a better move may have been to run as a parliamentary candidate in the upcoming general election, aiming for a North or Northeastern seat, the two regions where the ruling party has the strongest support.
But this defeat need not spell the end for Mr Prapas' political ambitions.
If he works harder, meets the people and listens to their problems, and devises more policies to help residents deal with economic problems and the rising cost of living rather than focusing on the mega-projects in which he puts so much stock, he may enjoy greater support in future.
Meanwhile, the PPP could be dissolved by the Constitution Court by the end of this year if electoral fraud charges are upheld.
In such an event, any replacement party, whether funded by Mr Thaksin or former PPP members, must show greater sincerity in attempting to solve the country's problems than they are currently doing.
If the PPP - or its successor - can do that, the party could yet win over the Bangkok public.
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