Thaksin ‘key factor’ in Udon Thani win

The ruling Pheu Thai Party believes former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra played a key role in helping its candidate secure victory in the provincial administrative organisation (PAO) chairman election in Udon Thani.
Anusorn Iamsa-ard, a Pheu Thai list MP, said that the victory was due to several factors, including the political experience of the candidate, Sarawut Pethpanomporn, as well as local residents’ trust in the Pheu Thai-led government.
“But the main factor was that Thaksin helped Mr Sarawut in a campaign rally in Udon Thani,” Mr Anusorn said.
Defence Minister Phumtham Wechayachai, a key Pheu Thai figure, echoed the view, saying that the poll victory was partly because Thaksin assisted in the election campaign. Thaksin remains popular among residents because when he was prime minister, several of his policies responded to local needs, he said.
On Sunday night, Thaksin congratulated Mr Sarawut for winning the election and hoped the momentum would continue all the way to the next general election.
Thaksin offered his congratulatory message in a video call to Mr Sarawut, who was watching the ballot count at his base with Pheu Thai supporters.
Mr Sarawut also thanked Pheu Thai supporters who helped him avoid the embarrassment he would have felt had he lost after the former prime minister campaigned for him.
According to unofficial results, Mr Sarawut won the race with 327,487 votes, beating Kanisorn Khurirang from the People’s Party (PP), who received 268,675 votes.
The outcome was revenge for Mr Sarawut after he lost in the general election last year to Nattapong Pipatchaisiri, who ran under the banner of the now-dissolved Move Forward Party (MFP), which was reborn as the PP.
However, Stithorn Thananithichot, director of the Office of Innovation for Democracy at the King Prajadhipok’s Institute, told the Bangkok Post that he did not think Pheu Thai secured a poll victory in Udon Thai because of Thaksin’s assistance in the campaign.
“Even if Thaksin had not helped at the campaign rally, Pheu Thai would have won regardless because Udon Thani has long been Pheu Thai’s support base,” he said.
Udon Thani is deemed the capital of the red shirts in the Northeast.