Sukhumbhand wins, Pheu Thai concedes defeat

Sukhumbhand wins, Pheu Thai concedes defeat

MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra of the Democrat Party has won Sunday's Bangkok governor election with a record-high number of votes, as his Pheu Thai rival, Pol Gen Pongsapat Pongcharoen, conceded defeat.

MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra (Photo by Patipat Janthong)

At the Democrat Party's headquarters on Sunday evening, MR Sukhumbhand said he would like to thank the people who helped him to get more than one million votes in the gubernatorial election.

At 8pm when initial counting by the Bangkok governor election coordinating centre had ended, MR Sukhumbhand had 1.26 million votes while Pol Gen Pongsapat got 1.07 million. The previous record was held by the late Samak Sundaravej at 1.01 million votes in 2000.

"I want to thank Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra [of the Pheu Thai Party] who has promised that I'll be able to work seamlessly with the government.

"I would like to take this opportunity to invite about 800,000 Bangkokians who did not cast their votes today to help build Bangkok with me.

"I promise you that I'll work harder and be more committed and that I'll serve the people of Bangkok - the city I love, where I was born and raised, and will die," said the re-elected governor.

He also called on the Election Commission to inspect the exit polls after they gave Pol Gen Pongsapat a slender victory.

"The result of the exit polls is inaccurate and it could mislead people and create confusion," MR Sukhumbhand said.

Pol Gen Pongsapat Pongcharoen (Photo by Apichit Jinakul)

Prime Minister Yingluck, speaking on behalf of the Pheu Thai Party, congratulated MR Sukhumbhand on certain re-election as Bangkok governor and conceded her party's candidate Pol Gen Pongsapat had been defeated.

She was accompanied at a press conference at the party's headquarters by Pol Gen Pongsapat, party leader Jatupong Ruangsuwan and other leading members of the party.

Ms Yingluck said throughout 48 days of campaigning to help the party candidate she had a chance to meet the Bangkok people and listen to their problems.

"Although the vote for our candidate is not enough for him to take the Bangkok governorship and serve the Bangkok people in that position, we are ready and glad to continue to push for the implementation of policies we presented to the people.

"I am also ready to work with the Bangkok governor without a dividing line," the prime minister said.

"I must thank the Pheu Thai Party, its executive committee, and our teams of election campaigners for having done their best.  We take every vote as moral support for Pheu Thai," she added.

Pol Gen Pongsapat also conceded defeat.

He congratulated MR Sukhumbhand for his victory and wished him success over the next four years as Bangkok governor.

"In whatever status I hold, I'm ready to work for the people and I want to thank all the Bangkokians who voted for me," Pol Gen Pongsapat said.

He said he will discuss his future with Prime Minister Yingluck after she returned from an oversea trip.

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