Weerapoj and Suwat win Patong by-election
PATONG: Weerapoj Iamsup of the Sor Tor Kaow Mai Party and Suwat Somnam of the Patong Gao-na Party were elected to Patong Municipal Council in the resort town by-election on Saturday.
Boonsong Nawarak, acting chief administrative officer at Patong Municipality, told the Gazette that K. Weerapoj drew 898 votes, K. Suwat 646 votes, Somkiat Kuru 637 votes, Wig Tonghom 587 votes, Boontan Piromrit 464 votes and Suttipoj Charoensup 197 votes.
K. Boonsong said his office was happy with the voter turnout. “We are quite happy with the number of people who cast votes. Of the 3,454 eligible voters, 1,916 people voted,” he said, a turnout of 56%.
There were 39 spoiled ballots and 66 people cast blank votes.
K. Weerapoj, 30, is a Patong native, a local restaurateur and father to one daughter.
“This is the first time that I’ve been a candidate in an election. I will do my best. I already have a plan for Patong but I must first present it to Patong Municipality, so I cannot to talk about it just yet,” he told the Gazette.
“I think I won the election because of my father. He used to be a member of the Provincial Council [the former provincial administration organization]. He has done many things for Patong, so that’s why people voted for me,” he added.
Phuket native K. Suwat, 50, has two daughters of his own and an adopted child, and is also a local businessman.
“I stood in the Patong Municipal election in 2003, and was an active councilor for four months. People voted for me because I am a direct, frank person,” he said.
“I plan to follow up on why property tax is so high, and I want find out why Patong Municipality lets the private sector rent public land. I want to check how Patong Municipality works,” K. Suwat added.
