Puea Thai wins big in Si Sa Ket
Back-to-back wins for opposition party
- Published: 29/06/2009 at 12:00 AM
- Newspaper section: News
The Puea Thai Party has won the Si Sa Ket by-election in a landslide, its second sweeping by-election victory in two weeks, which shows the staying power of patron Thaksin Shinawatra.
The victory, which comes after last week's overwhelming success in the Sakon Nakhon by-election, has boosted confidence among opposition politicians that they will maintain their dominance of northeastern seats at the next general election.
Puea Thai yesterday claimed victory with a large margin over the government Chart Thai Pattana Party, based on unofficial results.
The party beat another coalition party, Bhumjaithai, backed by influential politician Newin Chidchob, in the by-election in Sakon Nakhon on June 21.
The unofficial results showed Puea Thai candidate Surachart Charnpradit winning 124,327 votes, defeating his rival from Chart Thai Pattana Party, Sakulthip Angkasakullkiat, who received just 76,435 votes. Chart Thai Pattana held the seat before its MP was red-carded by the Election Commission.
The opposition party's win was attributed to its intensive campaign strategy, coupled with the feelings of rural people towards Thaksin, who gave a phone-in speech to pro-Thaksin, red shirt demonstrators at Sanam Luang on Saturday, said Chalerm Yubamrung, a key Puea Thai figure.
He said his party won the race because most voters had kept faith in Thaksin, whom they believed could solve the country's economic crisis if he was still in power.
"The Si Sa Ket by-election shows that people closely follow political news and they know which party they will vote for," said Mr Chalerm, who led the Puea Thai campaign in the by-election.
"They vote for us because our policies are better than other parties."
Apiwan Wiriyachai, a Puea Thai MP for Nonthaburi, said the unofficial results show that most Isan people still love and trust Thaksin. Voters also feel pity for the former prime minister and believe he has been denied justice.
Mr Apiwan was hopeful the by-election result would make those who were about to abandon the party think twice. The party had a clear policy not to welcome back those who had left it and then wanted to return.
Chaiya Promma, a Puea Thai MP for Nong Bua Lam Phu province, said the results of the by-elections in Si Sa Ket and Sakon Nakhon would make MPs who might have planned to leave the party change their minds. The by-elections were also clear indicators of the outcome of the next general elections, he said.
The elections, if held this year, would see Puea Thai sweep most seats in the Northeast due to the popularity of Thaksin, he said.
Pornsak Charoenprasert, a Puea Thai MP for Si Sa Ket, said the former prime minister phoned him to ask about the results of the by-election.
Thaksin invited party MPs responsible for the election campaigns in Si Sa Ket and Sakon Nakhon to meet him in Dubai, he said.
Chart Thai Pattana spokesman Watchara Kannikar said he did not believe his party was defeated due to the popularity of Thaksin in the province.
He said his party would meet to go over why it had lost the race.
Chulalongkorn University political scientist Pitch Pongsawat said the Si Sa Ket by-election showed that Thaksin's popularity was still strong.
Sombat Thamrongtanyawong, rector of the National Institute of Development Administration, said the results of the Si Sa Ket by-election came as no surprise as Puea Thai had an edge over Chart Thai Pattana.
Meanwhile, a survey showed most respondents wanted to hear Thaksin's phone-in speeches as "they still loved him".
The Suan Dusit Poll found about 40% of respondents closely followed Thaksin's phone-ins, while another 31% said they paid no attention to his phone-ins to supporters.
Relate Search: Puea Thai, by-election
About the author
- Writer: AEKARACH SATTABURUTH
