Pol Capt Chamlerm Yubamrung, candidate No. 3, arrives at polling unit 12, Bang Bon district. — PHONGTHAI WATTANAVANITVUT

ONNUCHA HUTASINGH

Chalerm Yubamrung accepted his defeat in the election, but said he still managed to defy every opinion poll that predicted he would not be among the front runners.

Wearing a smile on his face, Pol Capt Chalerm walked into his election centre, near his home in Bang Bon district, at 4pm, to meet an army of reporters who had been waiting to speak to him since early morning.

``I may have lost in the election, but I managed to defy every poll that said I would win no more than 100,000 votes in the whole of Bangkok,'' he said while watching poll projections which predicted he would come in fourth with more than 300,000 votes. Pol Capt Chalerm said he still hoped for more votes from Thon Buri, to upset the official result.

``Today's poll result is not the final word on who will be the governor. It still needs to be endorsed by the Election Commission,'' he said.

He did not feel as if he had lost to anyone. ``I'm not competing with other candidates, but with myself and public popularity,'' he said.

``If I was not elected it's because my policies just didn't please enough people.

``That's all.''

When asked when he was likely to publicly accept defeat, he said with a grim smile: ``Nobody makes an announcement when they lose.''

Throughout the day, the veteran politician stayed indoors, allowing his three sons to deal with the press and his supporters at the election centre.

His wife, Mrs Lamnao, said she was not disappointed with the result and said that she believed her husband would still stay in politics.

Pol Capt Chalerm appeared in good spirits, as if he knew in advance how the result would turn out. He felt he had gained from the election, and the experience would help his doctoral thesis on consitutional law in the general election, Senate and local elections.

His thesis would discuss whether government officials can help candidates campaign and the actual legal definition of ``boisterous'' campaigning.

Making a comeback after the controversies involving his sons, Pol Capt Chalerm now has a new ``brother.''

Being interviewed with another candidate, Chuwit Kamolvisit, he comforted his rival: ``You've been in politics for three months and win so many votes, it's more than OK, my brother Chuwit,'' he said.