Charn Phuangphet, a Pheu Thai Party candidate who won Sunday's election for Provincial Administrative Organisation (PAO) chairman in Pathum Thani, may be unable to assume the position due to him being indicted in a procurement case 12 years ago.
Mr Charn defeated his rival, former Pathum Thani PAO chairman Pol Lt Gen Kamronwit Toopkrajang, by a small margin but is embroiled in an ongoing trial in the Criminal Court for alleged graft in the procurement of relief bags when he was serving as Pathum Thani PAO chairman in 2012, according to a source.
Now that he has been re-elected, Mr Charn will likely face a suspension as PAO head pending the trial, as stipulated by the National Anti-Corruption Commission Act and recommended by the Council of State, the government's legal arm, the source added.
His status as PAO chairman is in limbo despite Pheu Thai declaring his Sunday election victory a credible sign that the ruling party still holds sway in local politics.
The party won the fiercely contested poll by a small margin over its rival even after reports of powerful local political families allegedly being lobbied by paroled former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, who is widely respected by Pheu Thai.
Mr Charn raked in 203,032 votes, beating Pol Lt Gen Kamronwit, who ran under the Khon Rak Pathum (Love Pathum) group banner. Pol Gen Kamronwit received 201,212 votes, according to the unofficial result released by the Election Commission.
Pheu Thai leader Paetongtarn Shinawatra, Thaksin's youngest daughter who assisted Mr Charn in campaigning for the poll, on Monday posted on social media a photo of her on Mr Charn’s campaign trail and congratulated him on his success.
“The party and I feel really grateful to have a chance to work [with Mr Charn]. And we believe Pathum Thani people will from now on be under the care of a person who is determined to work hard,” wrote Ms Paetongtarn.
Digital Economy and Society Minister Prasert Jantararuangthong, a key Pheu Thai figure, said Mr Charn’s victory has proven critics wrong about the party's waning popularity.
According to Mr Prasert, the PAO race in Pathum Thani was free and fair, and it was evident that most people in this province were loyal to Pheu Thai.
As an election battleground, Pathum Thani is as important as Bangkok for Pheu Thai, he said.
With more PAO polls on the way, Pheu Thai will revise its election strategies to maintain its edge, he said.
However, Supachai Nopkham, an assistant secretary to Deputy Interior Minister Kriang Kantinan and a former Pheu Thai MP for Pathum Thani, admitted the party won what was a close race.
He said Thaksin’s popularity was a key factor in Mr Charn’s victory, adding that the ex-PM's recent visit to Pathum Thani did mark an upswing in Mr Charn’s popularity.