Governor poll last words

"If I [an independent] am elected, it will become clear voters are fed up with the Democrat and the Pheu Thai parties," Nattakorn said yesterday in a debate at the Stock Exchange of Thailand. Nattakorn is well known among Bangkok voters as a host on TV news programmes.

Also present were other leading Bangkokgovernor hopefuls: MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra from the Democrats, Yuranan Pamornmontri from Pheu Thai, and another inde¬pendent, Kaewsan Atibodhi.

Recent surveys show Sukhumbhand, a former deputy for¬eign minister, is the most popular candidate and considered frontrunner, although his workingclass sup¬port is weak.

Sukhumbhand declined to answer whether his defeat - if ever it took place - would suggest Bangkok vot¬ers did not trust the Democratled government.

He said: "No matter what the out¬come, I respect the voters' decision."

Yuranan admitted that voting for him would provide opportunities for executives of the dissolved Thai Rak Thai and People Power parties. These executives are banned from politics for five years.

"They help me, although they can't do so publicly," Yuranan said. Most politicians from these two parties have now joined the Pheu Thai.

Yuranan's latest campaign calls on supporters of the Thai Rak Thai and People Power parties to vote for him.

Asked if this was a risky move legally, the actorturned politician said: "I've asked for the Election Commission's opinion several times, but so far I've got no response."

Being labelled a "nongovernmentalorganisation man" on the podium, Kaewsan quickly responded: "I'm an academic."

Kaewsan is a former vice rector of Thammasat University and senator. He also worked for the Assets Examination Committee.

The Bangkokgovernor election takes place tomorrow. The number of eligible voters is 4,151,705.