Kathu elections won uncontested

KATHU: Prasert Kaokijpaisarn and his 12-member Kathu Pattana (Development) Party won all seats for both Kathu municipality electorates, including the key position of Mayor.

It would have been a surprise if they hadn’t – Kathu Pattana was the only party to stand for election.

Of the 10,892 Kathu residents eligible to vote, 4,426 (40.64%) turned out for the poll on Sunday. Of these, 14% ticked the box indicating they did not want to vote for anyone, while 12% of ballots were spoiled.

Kittipong Thiengkunagrit, Director of the Phuket Election Commission (PEC), told the Gazette that this was the first time in Phuket that only one party had stood for an election. The results are valid, he said, because Kathu Pattana had garnered more than 10% of the votes cast.

Like all elections in Thailand, the Kathu walk-over will still need to be checked by the Central Election Commission (CEC). “I believe this election will be approved,” K. Kittipong said.

“We didn’t receive any complaints. That might be because there was only one party,” he added.

Mayor-elect K. Prasert was not available for comment on his momentous victory.