A total of 260 people have registered to contest for 18 senatorial seats in the capital. In the previous election six years ago, there were 265 candidates in the city.

Among the familiar faces registered yesterday were Klanarong Chantik, former secretary-general of the National Counter Corruption Commission, Rosana Tositrakul, a consumer-rights activist and chairwoman of the Federation of Consumers Organisation, and former television personality Kannikar Thammakesorn.

Klanarong and Rosana had been expected to apply for the Senate poll, which will be held after the Songkran (Thai New Year) break on April 19.

Former massage parlour boss and Chat Thai ex-MP Chuwit Kamolvisit surprisingly appeared on the Senate registration yesterday. Chuwit was the last person listed for Bangkok.

Chuwit was disqualified from being an MP by the Constitution Court, which ruled in January that he had not been a member of the Chat Thai Party for 90 days prior to the 2005 election.

Chuwit said yesterday that he resigned from the Chat Thai Party on March 20, but plans to file an appeal with the Supreme Court against his disqualification.

Between last Friday and yesterday, 1,477 candidates registered across the country for the 200 seats in the next Senate. Those elected will serve a single six-year term.