UDON THANI : The ruling Pheu Thai Party suffered another election defeat when its candidates in the Udon Thani Municipality race lost to their rivals yesterday.
It was a major defeat as Udon Thani is the stronghold of the ruling party and its allies, the red-shirt United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD).
Unofficial election results indicated that candidates from the Nakhon Makkheng team, led by independent candidate Itthipon Triwattanasuwan, had beaten candidates from the Nakhon Udon team, who were backed by Pheu Thai.
Mr Itthipon was re-elected Udon Thani mayor with 27,914 votes, well ahead of Sompol Sripattiwong, who had 18,787 votes. Mr Sompol, head of Nakhon Udon team, was chosen by Pheu Thai to contest the race.
Mr Itthipon's team swept all 24 municipal councillors' seats.
Announcing the election victory in front of his supporters, Mr Itthipon thanked them for their support.
A source said only two candidates were competing for the mayor's seat.
The Pheu Thai Party last month suffered two consecutive defeats in elections for a Pathum Thani MP seat and for the head of the Pathum Thani provincial administration organisation.