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RACE TO PARLIAMENT SURASAK GLAHAN
Sakonlapud Mheuanchanchery, a 36-year-old candidate for the Democrat party, said his father worked as security guard and his mother was a street vendor.
Many candidates of similar backgrounds pride themselves on having the common touch.
From a family of eight children, Mr Sakonlapud worked as a science teacher, a broadcaster of parliamentary radio and was an adviser to a number of parliament committees.
He hopes he will have better luck at the election after losing in the 2005 general election when he also ran under the Democrat banner.
Nakhon Pathom, with 841,905 eligible voters, has two constituencies where five seats are at stake.
The province is a tough one for the Democrats as rival parties are fielding some major names.
Mr Sakonlapud, who comes from Nakhon Pathom, is contesting one of two seats in constituency 2, which covers Bang Len, Buddha Monthon, Don Tum and Sam Phran districts.
He said the province badly needs an injection of young blood to develop infrastructure and boost the farming and business sectors.
"I want to deliver a change and bring about a transition to the province," he said.
He also promised budget reform in the province, where public spending was not adequately monitored, he said.
Mr Sakonlapud's running mate is his relative Mitchun Piamkla, a former provincial councillor.
Their direct competitors are Padermchai Sasomsap and Korkiat Sariyasathien of the Thai Rak Thai party-backed People Power party. Thai Rak Thai won five seats there in the 2001 general election and four in 2005.
The Sasomsap family are prominent business owners in the province with strong political support.
Mr Padermchai's brother Chaiya, who is a former deputy minister of transport, is running as a list candidate for Zone 7, which also encompasses Nakhon Pathom.
Mr Padermchai's younger brother Anucha is contesting constituency 1. A former senator-designate, he is also seen to be filling in for his elder brother Chaiyosa, one of the banned Thai Rak Thai executives.
Mr Padermchai said there was nothing wrong with candidates from the same family representing the same party.
"People don't have to vote for me if they think the Sasomsaps are not good enough," he said.
Apart from the Sasomsaps, the Democrats are also up against popular former MPs Sompat Kaewpichit, now running on the Chart Thai party ticket, and Chayakrit Pathumarak, from the PPP, in constituency 1.
Mr Sompat's family owns hotel, entertainment and transport businesses. Sub-Lt Chayakrit is running for the first time.
He hopes to win the seat which once belonged to his father, one of the banned Thai Rak Thai executives.
The 37-year-old Chayakrit, who is partially paralysed, vowed to be the voice of the disabled in parliament.
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