Pheu Thai beats People’s Party in Udon Thani PAO election

Residents of three provinces across Thailand – Phetchaburi in the West, Udon Thani in the Northeast, and Nakhon Si Thammarat in the South – turned out on Sunday (November 24) to elect new presidents of their respective Provincial Administrative Organisations (PAO) to replace the former incumbents who resigned before completing their terms,

Udon Thani, a significant political battleground, featured candidates from two major parties and an independent contender, namely Kanisorn Kureerang of the People's Party, Sarawut Phetphanomporn of Pheu Thai, and independent Danuch Tantherdthit (Independent)

The election in Udon Thani covered 20 districts, with 2,243 polling stations and 1,237,629 eligible voters.

The unofficial results showed Sarawut with 327,487 votes leading Kanisorn with 268,675 votes. Danch received 17,224 votes

At 8.30pm, Prasert Jantararuangthong, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Digital Economy and Society, hosted a press conference with Sarawut and his team at the Pheu Thai Party’s election coordination centre in Udon Thani, declaring Sarawut the winner. Sarawut attributed his victory to the significant support of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who also made a congratulatory video call.

The People's Party, meanwhile, expressed gratitude to the voters of Udon Thani for their support of Kanisorn, emphasising the competitive nature of this local election. They highlighted that the campaign focused on policy proposals to win public trust, reflecting the ideal atmosphere for local elections nationwide.

The party stressed its belief that every election is an opportunity for change. Despite not winning this time, they pledged to continue engaging with the public and advocating for progress through legislative mechanisms.

They also hinted at upcoming elections, including the PAO election in Ubon Ratchathani on Sunday, December 22, and several others early next year.

The election for the Nakhon Si Thammarat Provincial Administrative Organisation President saw four candidates vying for the position, Kanokporn Dechdecho, former PAO President, running under the Phalang Mueang Nakhon Group, supported by Chaichana Dechdecho, Deputy Leader of the Democrat Party; Warin Chinwong, an agricultural business entrepreneur, former president of the Chamber of Commerce, and a member of the Bhumjaithai Party, running under the Nakhon Khampeng Group; Aryasit Srisuwan, a former MP for Nakhon Si Thammarat 3 from the Palang Pracharath Party, running under the Nakhon Kao Na Group; and Sanhapoj Suksrimuang, a former MP for Nakhon Si Thammarat and former member of the Palang Pracharath Party, running under the Nakhon Kao Mai Group.

At 8pm, the unofficial vote count showed Warin with 264,149 votes, with  Kanokporn coming in second with 237,173, At 8.05pm, Warin declared victory in the election, announcing his success as Nakhon Si Thammarat PAO President.

Reports emerged on social media about alleged vote-buying by supporters of one candidate. Allegedly, residents were offered 200 baht each to cover voting expenses over three days, leading to widespread criticism and earning the province the nickname “200 Baht Province.” Despite the public outcry, the Nakhon Si Thammarat Election Commission (EC) acknowledged awareness of the allegations but confirmed no official complaints were filed.

The election for the Phetchaburi Provincial Administrative Organization (PAO) President was held following the resignation of Chaiya Angkinan, a long-serving former PAO President, before completing his term. This election saw only two candidates, Chaiya, leader of the Ruamjai Phetchaburi Group and Krit Kaewyoo, a former MP for Phetchaburi from the Palang Pracharath Party and the president of the Phetchaburi Lawyers Council.

At 7pm, with 56.67% of votes counted, the preliminary results showed Chaiya maintaining a significant lead in the election with 69,428 votes to  26,439 votes for Krit.