Where bread and butter matters most

ELECTION 2007

Where bread and butter matters most

POST REPORTERS

The People Power party (PPP) won substantial support in the North and Northeast where people still favour the populist policies of the now-disbanded Thai Rak Thai party.

The party, known to have a strong connections with ousted prime minister and former Thai Rak Thai leader Thaksin Shinawatra, easily took most of the 75 seats in the North, and most of the 135 seats in the Northeast, the region with the most seats.

Observers said many people in the Northeast remain staunchly loyal to the disbanded Thai Rak Thai, which gave the PPP an edge.

Many villagers recall the economic stimulus policies introduced by the Thaksin government.

"The PPP candidates are mostly familiar faces.

"People recognise them and associate them with Mr Thaksin," said Niran Kulthanan of Rajabhat Buri Ram University.

Villagers were more interested in hearing how parties could help them earn a living. Mr Niran said the voters' preference was based primarily on bread- and-butter issues, rather than politicians' honesty. This explains why the PPP policies were the right fit for voters' needs.

"Many villagers only care for their stomach," Mr Niran said.

Some village heads and kamnan are also a factor in the PPP's success. They work as canvassers, who persuaded villagers to vote for the PPP.

In the North, the voting pattern was similar. Rival parties, however, have managed to penetrate some bastions of the PPP in Tak, Phitsanulok, Phichit, and Chiang Rai.

"People still trust Thai Rak Thai all the same," said Chiang Mai University's dean of the law faculty Somchai Preechasilpakul.

Thai Rak Thai was dissolved after the Constitution Tribunal found its principals committed fraud in last year's election.

However, Mr Somchai said, many villagers did not believe Mr Thaksin had broken any laws as claimed by the Assets Scrutiny Committee.

In their eyes, the outgoing Council for National Security had failed to substantiate charges against Mr Thaksin, which were cited as pretext to topple the former prime minister by the coup-makers.

Mr Thaksin is native of Chiang Mai.