
The ruling Pheu Thai Party won presidential seats in 18 provincial administrative organisations (PAO), followed by 12 seats for its coalition partner Bhumjaithai. The main opposition party, the People’s Party, won only one in Sunday’s PAO election.
The PAO election took place in 47 of 77 Thai provinces on Sunday.
Apart from 18 seats for Pheu Thai and 12 for Bhumjaithai, according to unofficial results, independent candidates won six PAO presidential seats, the Democrat Party four seats, Chartthaipattana and Prachachat two seats each and Palang Pracharath and United Thai Nation one seat each.
The People’s Party surprisingly won only a single PAO presidential seat, in the northern province of Lamphun.
Political observers said influential political factions supported by political parties grabbed substantial portions of PAO presidential seats.
Before the polls, former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra helped campaign for votes for candidates from Pheu Thai – led by his daughter, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra – and Pheu Thai lost in some provinces.
They included Chiang Rai, which Thaksin visited on several occasions.
Pheu Thai won narrowly in Chiang Mai, Thaksin's native province.