General news - Friday December 14, 2007
Two actors pose challenge to PPP rivals in Chaiyaphum
WASSAYOS NGAMKHAM
Two actors are hopeful of winning seats in northeastern Chaiyaphum province, but former MPs from the dissolved Thai Rak Thai party (TRT) insist they are not worried by their challenge. Kowit Wattanakul and Udomporn Khotchahiran, better known as Nart Puwanai, are contesting the two seats in constituency 2 under the Puea Pandin party banner. They are confident their image as movie stars will boost their chances.
''It would be an uphill task for movie stars to stand for election in Bangkok and win. But in rural areas, our image helps us a lot,'' said Mr Kowit, 53.
The veteran actor from Phu Khieo district said he and Mr Udomporn need not campaign hard as local people know them well and give them a warm welcome whenever they visit markets.
He is 100% confident of victory and believes local people are fed up with the old-style politicians and want to vote in new ones.
Mr Kowit said he would enlist his daughter Minthita _ alias Mint AF3 from the hit reality TV show Academy Fantasia _ to help him campaign in constituency 2 this weekend. He hopes his daughter's presence will get the public's attention.
Mr Udomporn, 61, a former actor who recently retired as deputy governor of Prachuap Khiri Khan, said being a former movie star gives him an edge over his rivals.
More importantly, he is a former chief of Muang district in Chaiyaphum and was popular with local people.
He is also confident he will win, even though he is running for the first time.
However, People Power party candidate Surawit Khonsomboon, 58, a six-time MP from the dissolved TRT party, is not too worried about the presence of the two actors in constituency 2.
He said they make the election more colourful.
Even so, Mr Surawit and his colleague Prasit Chaiwirattana are expected to face fierce competition in constituency 2.
There are a total of seven seats in the three constituencies of Chaiyaphum.
Bangkok Post
No comments:
Post a Comment