Pheu Thai Party’s candidate Surachart Thienthong has claimed victory in Bangkok’s Constituency 9 by-election in what is seen as a blow to the ruling Palang Pracharat Party which dominated the constituency in the last general election.
Sombat Kanokthippawan, director of Laksi district and chairman of the election committee for the constituency, said by-election returns as of 8.00pm with 94 percent of the votes counted, showed that Surachart received 27,284 votes while his closest rival, Karoonpon Tiensuwan of Move Forward Party, garnered 19,081 votes, followed by Atavit Suwannapakdee of Kla Party, with 19,071 votes. Saranrat Jenjaka of Palang Pracharat Party whose husband, Sira, is the former MP representing the constituency, received only 7,089 votes.
At a press conference held at Pheu Thai’s headquarters, Surachart thanked voters for their support and pledged to “make every day of my position as an MP worthwhile for the people.”
Saranrat and her husband Sira had earlier in the evening conceded defeat. Sira, who won the constituency in the 2019 general election, was disqualified as MP over conviction in a fraud case.
Sira told a news conference at the party’s headquarters that he and the campaign team had done their best and that he had no regrets for the election loss, saying that the final decision rested with the voters.
