Pathum Thani governor Narongsak Osottanakorn has decided not to run for Bangkok governor following speculation he would contest the race under the banner of the ruling Palang Pracharath Party.
Mr Narongsak told a press conference on Tuesday he would concentrate on his work in the civil service.
“As I still wear a civil servant's hat, I want to wear this hat as best I can. The greatest pride of civil servants is to leave the service in a dignified manner. That is my intention. Someone once asked me what I want to do after retirement, and I said I want to relax or give lectures, as I earlier intended,’’ said the governor.
Mr Narongsak was hailed for his role in coordinating the rescue of a football team stuck in a flooded cave system in Chiang Rai -- where he had also served as governor -- a few years ago.
He thanked the people, especially kind senior figures, for approaching him to run for Bangkok governor, and said he felt honoured. But he had just moved to Pathum Thani just two months ago, he would not know how to tell residents (if he opted to contest the Bangkok governor election).
During his past two months in this central province, he believed residents saw changes and wanted him to continue working as the Pathum Thani governor.
Mr Narongsak said he hoped to stimulate the provincial economy through a plan to promote one-day trips to Pathum Thani in a bid to increase the number of tourists from 800,000 to 2 million a year within the next two years.
Earlier, a source in the ruling PPRP said Mr Narongsak had finally agreed to run for the Bangkok governor under the party's ticket.
Mr Narongsak made the decision after meeting Deputy Prime Minister and PPRP leader Prawit Wongsuwon early this week, the source said, adding the PPRP will officially unveil Mr Narongsak as its candidate next week.