Apirak gets big thumbs up

As of 10pm, Apirak from the Democrat Party had won as many as 934,977 votes, while his political rivals trailed far behind. Prapas Chongsa-nguan from the People Power Party earned just 508,627 votes. Other main contenders, Chuwit Kamolvisit and Kriengsak Chareonwongsak, received 320,709 and 245,031 votes respectively.

It was estimated that some 2.2 million Bangkok residents - or about 54 per cent of total eligible voters - cast their ballots to choose who should head the capital for the next four years. Just minutes after the ballot booths closed at 3pm yesterday, exit polls unanimously revealed  Apirak would win the election.

"I believe my policies and my performances during the past four years count," Apirak said. When he ran for governor in 2004, Apirak won with 911,441 votes. As counting continued late last night, two giant screens in front of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration headquarters became a centre of attention. Crowds of people and reporters gathered there.

It remains to be seen whether Apirak will make history. Samak Sundaravej won a historic 1,016,096 votes in 2000. Details [1B]