Chaianan wins re-election as Kathu Mayor in Phuket polls
PHUKET: Chaianan Sutthikul was re-elected to his second consecutive term as Kathu Mayor in the Kathu mayoral election and Kathu Municipal council election held in central Phuket yesterday.
In the preliminary vote count, Mr Chaianan scored 5,437 votes to defeat his only rival for the Kathu top seat: two-time former Kathu Mayor Prasert Khaokijpaisarn. Mr Prasert was elected to his first four-year term as Kathu Mayor in 2000 and re-elected in 2004. However, Mr Prasert lost the 2008 election to Mr Chaianan.
A total of 9,516 votes were cast in the mayoral election, including 244 spoiled ballots and 362 people ticking the “No Vote” option on the ballots.
Mr Chaianan’s Rak Kathu (“Kathu protectors”) party won 13 of the 18 seats on the Kathu Municipal Council, leaving only five seats to be won by Mr Prasert’s Kathu Pattana (Kathu development) party.
According to poll officials, a total of Phuket 23,041 voters turned out to vote.
The Phuket office of the Election Commission announced the preliminary results this morning as follows:
Ward 1 (6 seats):
• Prasit Khaokijpaisarn, 1,363 votes (Kathu Pattana)
• Wichai Kiettansakul, 1,284 votes (Kathu Pattana)
• Anchalee Keeratiwittayanont, 1,274 votes (Kathu Pattana)
• Sommai Jenrob, 1,246 votes(Rak Kathu)
• Boonlert Tanthaves, 1,231 votes (Kathu development)
• Krittichai Kaewjam, 1,198 votes(Rak Kathu)
Ward 2 (6 seats):
• Kittisak Boonerb, 1,473 votes (Rak Kathu)
• Boonchuay Sae-Ong, 1,470 votes (Rak Kathu)
• Wutthichai Songsri, 1,436 votes (Rak Kathu)
• Kanapot Kaewpradub, 1,410 votes (Rak Kathu)
• Natthachai Limpattanawong, 1,403 votes (Rak Kathu)
• Srisuk Supakarn, 1,307 votes (Rak Kathu)
Ward 3 (6 seats):
• Wichai Jaisai, 1,342 votes (Rak Kathu)
• Pongthep Joijard, 1,165 votes (Rak Kathu)
• Sakullert Buasorn, 1,151 votes (Rak Kathu)
• Somchai Jenrob, 1,140 votes (Rak Kathu)
• Thaweewat Jirapinyawat, 1,084 votes (Rak Kathu)
• Sumrij Sawalaksanakarn, 1,064 votes (Kathu Pattana)
Phuket Election Commission Director Kittipong Thiengkunakrit told the Phuket Gazette this morning, that the PEC had yet to receive any complaints of voting or canvassing irregularities.
“We will call the poll officials in to confirm the election results this week,” Mr Kittipong said.
“Then we must forward the preliminary results to the Election Commission of Thailand’s head office in Bangkok for confirmation before Mr Chaianan and the other winners in the election can be installed as mayor and councilors, respectively,” he added.
— Chutharat Plerin
