Bangkok election pits incumbent Sukhumbhand against drug-fighter Pongsapat | Bangkok Post: news

Bangkok governor election 2013

News > Election

Pheu Thai puts trust in Pongsapat for city race

Tough fight set despite rival's tarnished record

The Pheu Thai Party's executive committee Sunday chose Pol Gen Pongsapat Pongcharoen as the party's candidate for the Bangkok governor election in a unanimous decision.

However, analysts predict a tough fight ahead for the deputy national police chief and secretary-general of the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB).

Pol Gen Pongsapat will run against incumbent Sukhumbhand Paribatra, the Democrat Party's nominee.

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  • bikeme

    ThailandPost : 1,100

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    Discussion 16 : 14 Jan 2013 at 09.3616

    I can foresee a huge mud slinging contest ahead ... the PTP using their guarddog, the DSI, to attack while portraying their man as the white knight here to save the city ... the DEMS firing back with the skeletons in the Lt Colonel's closest (I doubt there is a high ranking police officer without skeletons).

  • pjt

    ThailandPost : 896

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    Discussion 15 : 14 Jan 2013 at 09.3215

    It is completely wrong that a serving police officer (or indeed military or government official) should be able to go straight from his publicly funded office to contest such an election. Many countries have rules which prevent this due to the obvious conflict of interest and abuse of public office for political purposes. There should be some quarantine period between leaving his police post and running for office

  • highlander

    Post : 135

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    Discussion 14 : 14 Jan 2013 at 09.2314

    PT are fielding this policeman to run for governor of Bangkok on the orders of the ex-policeman hiding out in Dubai. Even though he lives in Dubai to abscond justice being served on him in Thailand for corruption and abuse of power, his wealth accumulated has enabled him to bankroll the PT sufficiently to win the election and place his sister as the PM. Soon Thailand will be a police state if not already! This is what corruption has done so shame on everyone there who allowed this joke of a government to exist.

  • dao

    ThailandPost : 4,619

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    Discussion 13 : 14 Jan 2013 at 09.2113

    I have zero faith in the police doing their job .I believe they are capable but are just lazy and corrupt.There is know way I,m voting for some one from the police .The fact that he is PT is a distant second and I dislike like PT immensely .

  • majority

    Hong KongPost : 357

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    Discussion 12 : 14 Jan 2013 at 08.4912

    Indeed, this was perfectly demonstrated during the giant flood in 2011, when what Sukhumbhand actually did was to act in the opposite direction of the central government in the national flood relief efforts; and the BTSC contract extension without the approval of the central government so as to benefit the business interests of BTSC, instead of the interests of the taxpayers and the Bangkokians. I call this a very bad and destructive example of "one country, two systems". It is just too selfish.

  • jwatch

    ThailandPost : 688

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    Discussion 11 : 14 Jan 2013 at 08.4311

    Im undecided, one hand we have a police officer ..and we all know how well they perform on the streets of BKK (can't even enforce simple traffic rules, will take even a 100 baht bribe)..on the other hand...the incumbent sure seems to have a lot of room for improvement.

  • Contrarian

    ThailandPost : 290

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    Discussion 10 : 14 Jan 2013 at 08.1510

    "He said Pheu Thai excels at churning out populist policies that appeal to the public at the national level, but when it comes to local politics, the party comes up short"

    Talk about trying to put a negative spin to policies in-sync with the electorate. Characterizing them as "...churning out populist policies..." gives a glimpse at why this Opposition cannot win elections. Their elitist support base is not significant enough for that. This is a very good thing.

  • Victor

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    Discussion 9 : 14 Jan 2013 at 08.159

    The city is run by permanent officials, not the governor who comes and goes, so more emphasis should be given to those who really are matter. Efficiency and transparency have been lacking in the rank and file of the BMA for a long time and nobody cares.

  • oldairman

    ThailandPost : 724

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    Discussion 8 : 14 Jan 2013 at 08.128

    The PTP started their campaign by getting the DSI under Tarit to accuse M.R. Sukhumbhand of evry tiny thing they can think of, true or not true.

  • bkk-farang

    ThailandPost : 2,284

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    Discussion 7 : 14 Jan 2013 at 07.347

    I am suspicious of any PT candidate but to be fair how about some facts about Pongsapat? I guess many people want to know:
    - What are his achievements until now? I.e. did he make part of the police to be more efficient? Does he have a track record of fighting corruption?
    - How rich is he? And if he is rich: where exactly does the money come from?
    - What are his connections to Thaksin and other prominent PT politicians? Can we expect to have an independent governor of Bangkok or would he be also remote controlled from abroad?

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