MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra, the incumbent Bangkok governor, was on Thursday selected by the opposition Democrat Party to run as its candidate for a second term in the gubernatorial election scheduled for Feb 17.

MR Sukhumbhand Parabatra (Photo by Kosol Nakachol)

The selection of MR Sukhumbhand came after more than three hours of a tense meeting of the executive committee chaired by party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva.

It was decided by nine to six votes out of the 19 committee members. 

The six committee members who did not vote for the incumbent governor voted for Democrat deputy leader Korn Chatikavanij. Two other members each voted for Prakorb Jirakitti and Korbsak Sabhavasu. Party leader Abhisit and Mr Korn refrained from voting.

The decision was based on a summary report by Banyat Bantadtan, chairman of the committee for selecting a candidate for the Bangkok governor election.

The summary gave details of weaknesses and shortcomings of four persons who applied for candidacy. They were Apichai Techa-ubol, a former vice minister attached to the Prime Minister's Office, Korbsak Sabhavasu, a former prime minister's secretary-general, Prakorb Jirakitti, a former Bangkok deputy governor, and MR Sukhumbhand.

MR Sukhumbhand's term expires on Jan 10.

MR Sukhumbhand said in an earlier interview on Thursday that if chosen he would not launch a campaign for re-election until after New Year.

Asked if he was confident of being the party's candidate for a second term as Bangkok governor, MR Sukhumbhand said he did not see any reason why he would not be the party's choice.

Korbsak Sabhavasu (Photo by Surapol Promsaka na Sakolnakorn)

Mr Korbsak, former executive of the Democrat Party who presented his thoughts on the selection of a candidate for Bangkok governor to Mr Banyat's committee, said on his Facebook page that one of the committee members asked him why would he want to apply as a candidate.

He told the committee member that he had never thought of being a candidate. But after he learned that Democrat deputy leader Korn Chatikavanij was not interested in the job, he decided to submit his application so that the Democrats would have more choices, Mr Korbsak added.

The committee member then asked him whether he would lose again, because he had set strategies for the Democrats twice and the party subsequently suffered defeat twice.

"Does this mean I'm a hoodoo or a very good person for making the party lose two times?

"I have to reconsider myself seriously. But come to think of it, we're strange because we don't look at our reflection in the mirror and we like to blame others," Mr Korbsak said.

Related search: Bangkok governor election, Democrat candidate, Sukhumbhand Parabatra