Sarawut Petchapanomporn, a candidate from the ruling Pheu Thai Party who received support from former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, appears likely to win the provincial administrative organisation chairman election in Udon Thani province on Sunday.
At 8pm when the vote count was 54% completed, he had received 203,078 votes while the first runner-up, Kanisorn Khurirang from the opposition-core People’s Party (PP), had 165,024 votes.
Thaksin, father of Pheu Thai leader Paetongtarn Shinawatra, campaigned for Mr Sarawut in the northeastern province on Nov 13 and 14. He told supporters on that occasion that Pheu Thai needed a landslide; otherwise, he would be embarrassed.
Political observers viewed the provincial election as a test of the political strength and popularity of Pheu Thai and PP ahead of the next general election.