Pheu Thai politicians in Bangkok are pressing Khunying Sudarat Keyuraphan, former deputy leader of the Thai Rak Thai party, to contest the gubernatorial election in January even though she has indicated her unwillingness to stand.
MP Wicharn Minchainan, who represents Min Buri and Klong Sam Wa, said yesterday that Pheu Thai has yet to nominate someone to stand for Bangkok governor but its city MPs, city councillors and district councillors agree that Khunying Sudarat is the most appropriate choice.
Khunying Sudarat on Friday posted on her Facebook page that she will not compete in the election and thanked those who asked her to stand. She said she wanted to devote her time to a project to restore religious buildings in India.
In an interview with the Bangkok Post Sunday yesterday, Khunying Sudarat said she views the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration's work as challenging. She wants to help develop the capital and the quality of life of its people.
But she said she is not ready to run for Bangkok governor this time because she is afraid of criticism that her work in India is merely a means to raise her political stock at home.
But Mr Wicharn said he had to hear a firm decision from Khunying Sudarat. Pheu Thai's Bangkok politicians would respect the decision of the party, he said. If it picks someone else, they would support the candidate.
Recent media reports suggest national police chief Priewpan Damapong, former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra's ex-brother-in-law, might receive the full backing from the Shinawatra family as the party's candidate. Pol Gen Priewpan will retire at the end of this month.
Mr Wicharn said Pol Gen Priewpan is a capable and hard-working person with expertise in drugs suppression.
Pheu Thai is likely to decide on its candidate by the end of this month.
Jirayu Huangsap, another Bangkok MP, said Pheu Thai was 100% ready for the election even though it had yet to pick a candidate.
He said Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has also provided an all-encompassing range of policies for the party to develop Bangkok and win over residents.
Mr Jirayu said the prime minister wanted the party to do a better job of developing the capital than the Democrat Party had done over the past eight years.
Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said his party has also yet to nominate a candidate for governor.
"The party is not clear yet who its candidate will be because Bangkok Governor MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra is still working in the position," he said, hinting that if the party chose MR Sukhumbhand again, the candidate and the party would find it easier to coordinate tactics.