Lucky draw settles election recount

THALANG: Yongyut Kongsorn was convinced that the counting of votes in the election in Moo 6, Tambon Sri Soontorn, for two seats on the Tambon Administration Organization (OrBorTor) was inaccurate. The result had been very close. According to the initial count after the poll on August 30, Olarn Krailert came first with 119 votes, followed by Trairong Khamwiset with 118 votes and Yongyut with 116. K. Yongyut, who was seeking a second term on the OrBorTor, lodged a complaint with the Central Election Commission (CEC), which decided to order a recount. The recount yesterday confirmed that K. Yongyut was correct. The new tally – with counting witnessed by some 100 villagers – was K. Olarn 119, K. Trairong 117, K. Yongyut 117. To decide the tie, a draw was organized. First, Rewat Sombattong, Palad of OrBorTor Sri Soontorn, in his capacity as President of the election, drew one of two pieces of paper from a box. On it was K. Trairong’s name. Then, as the crowd watched in a tense silence as deep as any witnessed at the drawing of the national lottery, K. Trairong came forward to choose from one of two pieces of folded paper marked, respectively, “Elected” and “Not elected”. K. Yongyut picked out the remaining paper. Trairong’s supporters broke into cheers as he unfolded his paper to reveal the word “Elected”. Kittipong Thiengkunagrit, Director of the Phuket Election Committee, said, “We will send the results to the CEC. We expect that they will confirm the election soon.” Meanwhile, K. Yongyut told the Gazette that he accepted the recount and subsequent lucky draw as “fair and clear”. “It’s my bad luck that I didn’t get the right piece of paper,” he said. “But though I’m sad about this, I will be back for the next election. I did a lot of work during my term as an OrBorTor member and, at 29, I’m still younger than the other candidates.”