Democrats still dominate Phuket

PHUKET: Phuket Democrat Suwit Sa-Ngiamkul won the Phuket Voting District 1 seat with an overwhelming majority in the in the national election on Saturday. Phuket’s Voting District 1 covers Phuket Town, apart from Tambon Rassada and Tambon Koh Kaew. K. Suwit, whose soaring popularity springs from his role in the Phuket Town Municipality, beat five other candidates at the polls with 44,198 votes. Voters registered Yada Palimapan, of the Thai Rak Thai Party, as their second option with 10,643 votes. Well behind in the polling was Samkan Saengfai of the Chart Pattana Party, with 1,621 votes; Dr Sirichai Silpa-archa of the Chart Thai Party, with 1,166 votes; and Prasert Tantipussapan of the New Aspiration Party, with 521 votes. Fellow Democrat Chalermluck Kebsab successfully contested Voting District 2, which covers the rest of the island. K. Chalermluck also won by a handsome margin, garnering 36,368 votes. Her nearest rival, Raewoot Jindapon of the Chart Pattana Party, attracted only 14,586 votes. Hiran Thepsiri-amnuoy, of Thai Rak Thai, limped in third with 6,225 votes. Voter turnout was high, with 76% of registered voters – 130,926 of 171,938 – casting their ballots on the day.