Independent gubernatorial candidates Chadchart Sittipunt and Sakoltee Phattiyakul toured Bangkok today (Saturday) in their last-minute campaigning, to appeal for votes from Bangkok’s electorate.
The convoy of trucks, equipped with loudspeakers, took Sakoltee and his staff from the R56 building on Ratchadapisek Road in Chatuchak district, over the Rama 7 Bridge to Charan Sanitwong Road in Thon Buri, returning to Bangkok’s City Hall where they stopped for lunch.
In the afternoon, the convoy proceeded along Ratchadamnoen Road, Phetchaburi Road and into eastern Bangkok, before ending the daylong journey at the Victory Monument before 6pm, when all campaign activities must cease.
Sakoltee told the media that he had been campaigning for more than a month and had met with many people, adding that he believes many will vote for him.
Former transport minister Chadchart, meanwhile, started his campaigning today by paying respects to the statue of King Taksin at Wongwian Yai and his convoy toured many parts of the city to woo voters.
Last night, he toured the Siam Square shopping district, Yaowarat, Silom and Khao San Roads.
Former Bangkok governor Aswin Kwanmuang wrapped up his campaign at Sao Chingcha, or the Giant Swing, near City Hall. He said that this location was specifically chosen because he has been attached to it since his childhood, after attending school nearby and serving as a previous Governor.
Paetongtarn Shinawatra, head of Pheu Thai’s innovation and public participation and head of the so called “Pheu Thai Family”, led party members in a convoy of campaign trucks on a tour of Bangkok, to campaign for the party’s candidates contesting the council elections.
The party did not, however, field a candidate in the Bangkok gubernatorial election.
Pol Gen Torsak Sukvimol, the assistant national police chief said today that about 16,000 police officers, including those from the provincial police bureau and border patrol police, have been mobilised to maintain peace and order during the election tomorrow.
He said that some of the police officers were deployed today and all of them will stay put until the voting is over.
The sale of alcohol is banned from 6pm on Saturday until 6pm on Sunday in Bangkok and Pattaya, due to the Bangkok gubernatorial and council elections and the Pattaya mayoral election.
Voting starts at 8am tomorrow (Sunday) and will close at 5pm.
