parliament, by-elections

By Newley Purnell

The Wall Street Journal and the New York Times have run recent stories that examine Sunday's upcoming parliamentary by-election here in Bangkok. Both pieces provide context on the contest.

Today's WSJ piece, with the headline "Thai Divisions Shift to Voting Booth," begins:

The conflict between Thai authorities and antigovernment protesters shifts to the polling stations Sunday, in a special election that pits an imprisoned "Red Shirt" protest leader against a member of the ruling Democrat Party, which presided over bloody crackdowns on red-clad demonstrators in Bangkok in April and May.

The election, though for just a single seat in Parliament and only covering part of the capital, is a new chapter in Thailand's political feuds.

It is the first such vote since the recent clashes, which left nearly 90 people dead, and could serve as a preview of national elections if they are held as expected by the end of next year.

Sunday's vote is unlikely to affect the balance of power in Thailand's 480-seat parliament, in which the Democrats rule in a coalition. But the winning side will be able to claim an important edge in the battle to win hearts and minds after the recent violence, and could pick up significant momentum heading into any future national elections.

The NYT story, which ran yesterday, says:

In a parliamentary race this weekend that is being seen as a referendum on Bangkok’s recent upheavals, only one of the two leading candidates is campaigning.

The other is in prison, accused of terrorism for his leading role in the so-called red shirt protests, which paralyzed the city center until they were crushed by force in May.

The disparity underlines the divisions that persist in Thailand following a nine-week anti-government demonstration during which nearly 90 people were killed and more than 1,400 injured. Since then a sort of clenched turmoil has prevailed, with a surface-level calm concealing social and political conflict that most analysts say is likely to burst out again in the future.

Meanwhile, the Bangkok Post has this item today about the Puea Thai candidate:

The Puea Thai Party's legal team has submitted a letter to Election Commission chairman Apichart Sukhagghanont asking for help in obtaining the temporary release from jail of Korkaew Pikulthong so he can campaign during the last two days before the July 25 by-election in Bangkok's constituency 6.

And there's this Post item, as well, from today, about security details:

About 2,000 police officers will be deployed at polling stations in the lead-up to and during the by-election in Bangkok's Constituency 6 on Sunday.

So which candidate will win?

A separate Post story yesterday has a Q & A with Korkaew and poll info (scroll down) suggesting that the Democrats' candidate, Panich Vikitsreth, is leading by a healthy margin.

(All emphasis mine).

Newley Purnell

Twitter.com/newley