Wisut to stand for Thai Rak Thai

PHUKET: Wisut Santikul, former Vice-President of the Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor), will stand in next February’s general election as a Thai Rak Thai (TRT) candidate, he and the party confirmed yesterday.

K. Wisut, who stood as an independent in the OrBorJor elections in March, but lost to Democrat-backed Anchalee Vanich-Thepabutr, will contest District 2 – all of the island except Phuket City and its immediate surrounding areas – for the TRT, while Dr Sriyada Palimapan will contest District 1.

K. Wisut said his experience as OrBorJor Vice-President would stand him in good stead for the forthcoming contest. “I believe that in the general election in 2005, people will trust me and elect me,” he said.

The announcement was made yesterday at the Thavorn Grand Plaza Hotel, Phuket City.

Also named as TRT candidates were Pramot Laethongkham, who will contest Phang Nga District 1, and Krit Srifah who will stand in District 2. Dumrong Kittithonkul will be the candidate for District 1 in Krabi province, and Bumrong Kitpaisarn for District 2.

Pichet Sathirachawal, TRT’s chairman of candidate selection for the Andaman region, said he and his colleagues had been canvassing opinions of voters, which is why they had taken so long to select their candidates.

But he said he believed they had chosen well. “I am full of confidence that, in the next general election, there is a good chance our candidates in the Andaman zone will be elected,” he said.