Chalerm
Yubamrung
 No
stranger to politics, the outspoken Pol Capt Chalerm Yubamrung and
his family receive extensive coverage in the local press. His notorious
sons were often involved in nightclub punch-ups. For the past several
years, the family had remained relatively quiet while Chalerm’s son,
Duang was imprisoned on charges of murdering a policeman in a nightclub.
Duang was acquitted of the charges early this year. Chalerm is the former head of the Muan Chon party and has been a Bangkok representative in the House of Parliament for 21 years. He is also a former deputy interior minister. Chalerm - who will have to resign as MP of the Muan Chon party to run in the governor election - declined to remark on the allegation that he was aiming for a smaller political platform because there was no place for him at the national level. In mid-May 2004, he declared his intention to run for the governor’s post and promised that if he won, he would quit if his sons caused any more trouble. He says he is not discouraged by public opinion polls that showed him to be one of the least popular candidates in the governor’s election Chalerm declared that several city officials prodded him into running for the governor’s chair. “The only problem I am facing is too many people, particularly police officers, want me to run,” he says. In his last cabinet position, he was a supervisor for Bangkok city administration, which makes him familiar with Bangkok bureaucracy. Chalerm’s campaign slogan is, “With Experience, I Can Serve You.” The blueprint primarily focuses on good governance, transparency and efficiency, and Bangkok’s environment. He has pledged to adhere to a CEO-style management, while focusing in on three priority areas; traffic, drugs, and pollution control. He also would like to bring together a development strategy for Bangkok designed by the city administration, the interior ministry and the government. He says he would stop charging fees for garbage collection and wastewater treatment and would build high-quality garbage incinerators outside the city. While incumbent Gov Samak Sundaravej has not declared whether or not he will seek a second term, Chalerm stated he is ready to do battle with Samak, which contradicts his early statement that he would not compete with Mr Samak in the gubernatorial race. “I have changed my mind,” he stated. “I have new information, so conditions have changed.” Chalerm says he knows how to solve slum problems, return nature to city dwellers, and make Bangkok an Asean telecom hub. “I am not thinking about planting more trees or issuing bonds, which is the responsibility of the central government,” he said. Chalerm said he enjoyed good relations with Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. |
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