High turnout for OrBorJor elections

PHUKET TOWN: There was a respectable 44% voter turnout for Saturday’s Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor) elections, up significantly from the 28% turnout for the last OrBorJor vote four years ago. Commentators said this may have had less to do with a surge in interest in politics, and more to do with the fact that voters in Phuket Town qualified for entry in a lottery, with a new motorbike as the prize. In Phuket Town, as was widely expected, the two main parties picked up all but one of the district’s seats on the council, with the OrBorJor Khao Mai Party occupying nine and the Pattana Tongtin Party taking five. Khao Mai winners were Prasit Koysiripong, Rungsan Kongtong, Harnchai Jantarachote, Somchai Duangkae, Asin Arammaetapong, Suwit Wongwai, Samreong Chaisorn, Wisoot Santikul and Wannakorn Pattarapakorn. Pattana Tongtin winners were Yada Palimapan, Songwoot Hongyok, Attitaya Attasintawangkul, Amnuay Koombarn and Ekachai Koysombat. Suratin Lianudom, an independent, will occupy the remaining seat. Prasit Koysiripong received 20,091 votes – the highest of all candidates. Yada Palimapan was second with 16,310, followed by Rungsan Kongtong with 16,141. In Kathu District where three OrBorJor seats were up for grabs, Rak Kathu Party took two seats (Chaianan Sootthikul, 5,719 votes, and Kowong Tua-Tripop, 4,457), while the third seat went to Boonma Aiebsup of the Ruampalung Party with 4,340 votes. In Talang District, Talang Group Party won five of the six seats (Manot Panchalat, 7,948 votes; Surapol Lian-Udom, 7,375; Sorathum Jinda, 6,992; Watcharapong Kuerwong, 6,807; and Yaowanate Limrat, 6,306). The remaining seat went to independent Cherdchai Wongsaeree, who received 6,020 votes.