The people of Bangkok have once again resoundingly spoken by re-electing the aristocrat Sukhumbhand Paribatra for a second term as governor of Bangkok. Some of you might be surprised, but in this governor contest I voted for the Democrat Party candidate for the first time since Abhisit Vejjajiva became party leader. Let me explain why.
Firstly, there are clumps of hay currently passing through a cow's digestive system that would make a better governor than Pongsapat Pongcharoen of the Pheu Thai Party.
Anyone who is able to spend a whole career doing public relations for the Royal Thai Police Office must have told many fibs in order to cover up countless repulsive acts by droves of corrupt policemen. That person surely doesn't deserve to be rewarded by the citizens of Bangkok.
The Pheu Thai Party made a terrible choice in fielding this particular Thaksin flunky, when there were far more qualified flunkies out there to field.
Secondly, I voted for MR Sukhumbhand because Mr Abhisit opposed his candidacy. I'm sorry, but anyone Mr Abhisit thinks doesn't deserve to run under the Democrat banner must be doing something right. The lack of support for MR Sukumbhand's candidacy from the bumbling leaders of his own party is nothing short of betrayal.
I have it from reliable sources that Mr Abhisit even abstained in an executive meeting to pick who would run as the the party's candidate for governor _ that's hardly a vote of confidence. And when Mr Abhisit tries to hog the limelight for this most unlikely of Democrat City Hall victories, MR Sukhumbhand should elbow him aside and say, "out the way Judas, this isn't your lap of honour".
Although I admire MR Sukumbhand's defiance of senior party executives by threatening to "go rogue" and run as an independent because of the lack of support, I also think the people of Bangkok were trying to send a clear message: "Bangkokians aren't head over heels in thrall to the Democrat Party but we're strongly against the political monopoly of Thailand by Mr Thaksin through his Pheu Thai Party."
The people of Bangkok should take pride in the fact that even when heavy rain was pelting down all afternoon we managed a record turnout of more than 63% of eligible voters.
To the victor goes the spoils, and MR Sukhumbhand can boast some real goodwill by gaining a record number of votes in the history of Bangkok gubernatorial elections. Nobody can take that away from him.
I just hope for the sake of Bangkok that our governor delivers on his election promises because if he doesn't, his feet will be held to the fire.
Rest assured the Pheu Thai Party will have taken many lessons from this defeat and will come back stronger. Beware, even Pol Gen Pongsapat, with his manufactured smile and apparent subservience to Thaksin, astonishingly managed to garner more than one million votes.
The Pheu Thai could win Bangkok with a qualified and capable candidate.
No doubt with this victory, Democrat Party executives are popping open crates of the 1966 Dom Perignon and Mr Abhisit is doing cartwheels amid the drowning chorus of cheers from the party faithful. The Democrats' delusion is now at its pinnacle. So before they get too carried away, let me burst their bubble.
It seems obvious to me, that swing voters decided this contest. Their decision was certainly not a show of support for the Democrat Party nor was it a reward for MR Sukhumbhand's previous performance as governor.
This contest saw national politics overshadow the narrow concerns of local politics. Essentially, we witnessed a vote more against Thaksin and the Pheu Thai Party rather than a vote of confidence for the Democrats.
To the Democrats' credit they expertly played on Bangkok's fear of Thaksin's power, by telling voters that a vote for any third party candidate would be a vote for Thaksin.
The politics of fear worked magic, evident in the poor showing for all other minor candidates as MR Sukhumbhand claimed the lion's share of swing voters. Ultimately, the Democrats' formula for victory was a combination of Democrat Party disciples plus MR Sukhumbhand fans plus people who hate Thaksin.
But I hope the Democrat Party won't be counting their chickens just yet because this "we hate Thaksin" strategy simply won't wash in a general election when real power will be up for grabs.
These monotonous anti-Thaksin jibes will fall on deaf ears up north and in Isan where Thaksin is revered and Mr Abhisit is about as popular as the winter vomiting virus. Mr Abhisit will predictably bathe himself with glory and claim that this victory makes him the best person to lead the party into the next general election.
Of course he is terribly mistaken in this assessment but he could have been right, if not for Korn Chatikavanij's reluctance to run for Bangkok governor.
By excommunicating Mr Korn into dealing with potholes and pavements, Mr Abhisit hoped to rid himself of his closest rival for party leader and thus kill two birds with one stone. Mr Korn, as it turns out, is still in with a chance to breath new life into this forlorn party because, although similar in their elite upbringing, Mr Korn has one huge advantage over Mr Abhisit; he didn't spend his entire life trying to be the prime minister.
The question is, how does Brutus plot the demise of Caesar without being branded a conniving, murderous traitor? And indeed who will be Brutus? Because the word is that Surin Pitsuwan is also in the market for a new job.
I'm anticipating with bated breath that someone will pluck up the courage and sharpen their daggers, because it could mean the next Democrat leadership contest will be as riveting as a dark Shakespearean play.
Songkran Grachangnetara is an entrepreneur. He graduated from The London School of Economics and Columbia University. He can be reached at Twitter: @SongkranTalk