Democrats fight an uphill battle in Phrae

General news - Friday December 14, 2007

Democrats fight an uphill battle in Phrae

PRADIT RUANGDIT

Phrae _ Democrat candidates are seen to be fighting an uphill battle in this northern province as their arch-rivals from the People Power party (PPP) appear to have won over local voters with a promise to bring back deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.''Our victory is certain. The only way you can beat me is to shoot and kill me,'' PPP candidate for Phrae Worawaj Ua-apinyakul said confidently yesterday despite the fact his two running mates are new to the race to parliament. His running mates are Panhatai Serirak and Niyom Wiwattanadittakun.

Mrs Panhatai is the wife of former MP Thossaporn Serirak, one of the 111 Thai Rak Thai executives banned from politics for five years after their party was found guilty of poll fraud and ordered dissolved by the Constitution Tribunal.

Dr Niyom is expected to gain some ''sympathy votes'' since he was elected a senator in 2006 but did not enter the upper house because of the coup which toppled the Thaksin government on Sept 19 last year.

There are three House seats available in Phrae.

''With or without Mr Samak [Sundaravej, the PPP leader], the PPP would win here because of Mr Thaksin alone,'' Mr Worawaj said.

There was no need to sell the party's policies as the only thing that mattered to Phrae voters was Mr Thaksin's return to Thailand, he maintained.

However, Democrat candidate Siriwan Prassachaksattru was also confident that her team had a good chance to win, saying she and her running mates had long enjoyed good relations with local communities.

Ms Siriwan has a good track record as she has won three out of four races to the House of Representatives since 1995. Her only defeat was in the 2005 election. Her running mates are Somchai Champee and Sukhum Ganga.

However, she conceded that Mr Thaksin's popularity remained strong in Phrae and that the Democrat team needed to point out to voters that a victory for the PPP did not mean a ticket for Mr Thaksin's return.

Ms Siriwan also conceded the murder in October of Phrae Provincial Administration Organisation president Charnchai Silpauaychai, a Democrat member-turned-PPP supporter, has dealt another blow to her image.

Her opponents have linked her to the murder although police investigators have yet to wrap up the case, she said.

Bangkok Post