New Aspiration party candidate confident

General News - Saturday December 22, 2007

RACE TO PARLIAMENT

THE DARK HORSE OF THE SOUTH

New Aspiration party candidate confident

Story by WASSANA NANUAM

Democrat canvasser-turned-New Aspiration party candidate Jo-uma Samoe has run a self-funded election campaign, and hopes to enter the House of Representatives with sympathy votes. After more than a decade acting as a Democrat canvasser in Pattani, Mr Jo-uma, 49, decided it was time to jump into the parliamentary race.

The new charter allows the Pathom 4 (Grade 4) graduate to run in the Dec 23 general election, a chance he was earlier denied. The 1997 constitution, which was revoked following the Sept 19 coup last year, required candidates to hold at least a bachelor's degree.

His friend, public school teacher Sor-ma Samanpitak, approached him to represent the New Aspiration party, he said.

''He said let's share the expenses and produce leaflets introducing himself and campaign posters. The New Aspiration party will reimburse us later,'' the furniture businessman said.

In more than one month Mr Jo-uma has not received a single baht from party leader Chingchai Mongkholtham.

''I will fight on. As a man, I cannot quit half-way,'' he said.

He is New Aspiration's only candidate in this southern province.

Standing in constituency 1 where two seats are at stake, he will go up against Democrat candidate Anwar Salae, whom he once served as a canvasser, as well as another Democrat candidate, Isma-al Ben-ibroheem.

The People Power party is fielding former senator and former MP Den Tohmeena of the Wadah group in the constituency. ''Many popular candidates will see their support bases breaking apart,'' Mr Jo-uma said, adding that he has taken about 15,000 votes away from the Democrats.

''I am confident that I will get elected. The 15,000 votes I have will make me emerge as a dark horse,'' he said, adding he hoped to gain some sympathy votes. ''I court votes as a poor candidate.''

He proposes solving the southern unrest by promoting the far South as a special administrative zone.

He suggested economic measures to attract investors to set up factories in the region.

''Fish from Pattani have been sent for canning in Bangkok and Pattani people end up paying high prices for canned fish. If we have factories here, we can export our products under the 'made in Pattani' brand,'' he said.

He has poured hundreds of thousands of baht made from 30 years in the furniture business into his campaign.

Mr Chingchai said Mr Jo-uma offered to be a candidate so he must pay his campaign expenses himself.

''This is the party policy which applies nationwide. In constituencies where we don't stand much of a chance, the candidates must fight on their own. We have no financial backing for them.

''They must be strong. If they don't have money, they'd better stay home,'' Mr Chingchai said.

Mr Jo-uma said: ''I am a dark, ugly man in rugged clothes. Many might mistake me for a separatist.

''If I get elected, I will join the government.''

Bangkok Post