By-election in Phitsanulok: People’s Party Faces Off Against Pheu Thai
PUBLISHED : 14 Sep 2024 at 18:39
Excitement is building as Phitsanulok gears up for a significant by-election on Sunday, aiming to fill the seat left vacant by Padipat Santipada, who received a 10-year ban from politics due to the dissolution of the Move Forward Party.
In August, the Constitutional Court made the controversial decision to disband Move Forward and impose a decade-long ban on 11 of its executive members, citing the party’s proposed amendments to the lese-majeste law as a danger to the constitutional monarchy.
Padipat, who had previously been a board member of the disbanded party, attempted to distance himself to assume a deputy speaker role in the House but was still subjected to the court’s ruling.
In the 2023 election, Padipat secured 40,842 votes, outperforming Palang Pracharath’s Adunwit Wiwatthanat, who garnered 19,096 votes, and Natthasat Champhunot of Pheu Thai with 18,180 votes.
This weekend’s election features a primary duel between Nathachanon Chanaburanasak of the People’s Party, which succeeded Move Forward, and Chadet Chanthara representing the Pheu Thai Party.
With both prominent parties in contention, a heated competition is anticipated.
As of Saturday, no complaints regarding election irregularities had been filed, according to the Election Commission’s chairman, a sign that the voting process is expected to proceed smoothly.
Polls will be open from 8 AM to 5 PM across 208 locations, with initial ballot counts projected to conclude within 90 minutes at each site. Approximately 100 to 200 eligible voters per station are expected to facilitate the counting process.
Unofficial results are likely to be available between 8 PM and 9 PM. Constituency 1 boasts 138,705 eligible voters and experienced a remarkable 75.2% turnout in the previous election, indicating a promising turnout for this event as well.
