Pheu Thai candidate Yuranunt Pamornmontri is confident Pheu Thai's strong support base in Don Muang and his two-decade-long presence in the district will guarantee by-election victory.
Yuranunt: Denies being just a stand-in candidate
Mr Yuranunt said he is running in the by-election because Khunying Sudarat Keyuraphan was not prepared to do so.
He said Khunying Sudarat had expressed an interest in the by-election but changed her mind when former Don Muang MP Karun Hosakul was officially disqualified earlier this month by the Supreme Court for defaming his Democrat rival Tankhun Jitt-itsara. The court also banned him from politics for five years.
In setting their criteria, Pheu Thai executives wanted their candidate to be local, capable, decent and acceptable to Mr Karun.
Mr Yuranunt sees himself as meeting those criteria and said he had once won in Don Muang in a Bangkok governor election.
He said there was nothing wrong with him resigning as a list-MP to run in the by-election because another Pheu Thai list-candidate could take his place without the need for another election.
Since he had lived in Don Muang for over two decades, it was better that he volunteers to serve local people directly, he added.
Mr Yuranunt denied influential figures in the Pheu Thai Party forced him to run or that he would merely be a substitute MP while Mr Karun serves his political ban.
He said he has always been proud to run in any election for his party including a previous Bangkok governor election when Pheu Thai lacked a suitable high-profile candidate.
Asked if he had known Mr Tankhun while in show business since both had been actors, Mr Yuranunt said Mr Tankhun had been in a programme that he had hosted. Mr Tankhun, then known as Ee Ekachai, had looked okay, he said.
Asked what he would do as an MP that would strike a chord with voters, the Pheu Thai candidate said he would strive to convince the government to support development projects for Don Muang district.
He said this would be especially important since Don Mueang airport was sharing air traffic with Suvarnabhumi airport and Thailand would soon become part of the Asean Community.
He said he will promote peaceful solutions for society. He said people in Don Muang were upset with the disqualification of Mr Karun but he would adhere to his conflict-free stance with any party.
He hoped his attitude would convince voters to support him as campaigns from other parties included some serious accusations.
Khunying Sudarat, a core Pheu Thai figure, said she came to see Mr Yuranunt when candidacy registration opened yesterday to give him moral support.
She insisted Mr Yuranunt would enjoy no political advantage over other candidates simply on account of his representing Pheu Thai.
- AEKARACH SATTABURUTH
Democrat candidate Tankhun Jitt-itsara believes his tireless work helping residents in Don Muang during the 2011 flood crisis will lead him to victory in the June 16 by-election.
He said he hopes local voters, many of whom were severely affected by the flood, will give him a chance to represent them so that he can speak out about their problems, but he realises he is the underdog.
''There is a chance [I will win], but it will not be easy,'' Mr Tankhun said. The Democrat Party has not won in the district for over 30 years.
The by-election was called after the Supreme Court disqualified former Pheu Thai MP Karun Hosakul for defaming his rival, Mr Tankhun, during the 2011 general election campaign.
Tankhun: Puts faith in voters recognising his work
''I have to admit Mr Karun's voter base is wide and deep-rooted, having been established for some 14 years,'' Mr Tankhun said. ''I have worked hard but I have only had two years in Don Muang.''
He said his hopes rest with the faith he has in many Don Muang residents who have told him they will vote for him.
''We have a very tough task but I believe in the Don Muang residents,'' he said. ''During the Democrats' campaign in the Bangkok governor election in March, [Don Muang voters] told me they would vote Pheu Thai for the governor but they would vote for me when it comes to the MP contest.''
To make up the 7,000-vote gap between him and Mr Karun the last time the district was contested, Mr Tankhun said he would try to win over neutral voters. He said they accounted for 40% of eligible voters in the constituency.
Mr Tankhun estimated that about 25% of eligible voters in the district were loyal to Pheu Thai, while 15% were staunch Democrat supporters. The remaining 20% are not expected to vote, he said.
Mr Tankhun said his Pheu Thai rival Yuranunt Pamornmontri is not well known among Don Muang voters. Mr Yuranunt was formerly a Pheu Thai Party list-MP before relinquishing that position to join the Don Muang race.
In comparison, Mr Tankhun said he is a familiar face in Don Muang since the general election two years ago and his efforts helping flood victims the same year.
He believes he has a positive image in Don Muang thanks to his work on the floods and other community efforts. Mr Tankhun also believes he can represent residents better than his rival when it comes to local problems.
At the party level, Mr Tankhun said the Democrat policies were aimed at fostering sustainable growth for the country, while doubts surround the sustainability of the ruling Pheu Thai Party's policies.
He is also relying on party bigwigs to throw their weight behind his campaign in response to Democrat city governor MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra ending up 12,000 votes behind Pheu Thai's Pongsapat Pongcharoen in Don Muang in the city poll, despite winning the City Hall race.
He said a government-allied MP would not dare to complain about problems resulting from the government's populist policies, including the rising cost of living.
- NATTAYA CHETCHOTIROS