Lucky number for PM

Lucky number

Number 7 seems to be the lucky number for Abhisit. His Democrat Party won seven seats in the Sunday's by-elections, which gave him and his party more strength and gained profit as the Democrats did not lose any MPs from the party dissolution ruling.

In fact, the number 7 is involved extensively in Abhisit's life. He was born on 2507 (1964).

At the age of 27, he was an MP for the first time. In 2537 (1994), he was appointed Government Spokesman. He is the 7th party leader and the 27th PM. He was granted royal endorsement as the PM on December 17.

Abhisit may wish to stay for the next seven years as a two-term government.

More stable government

The ruling coalition will strengthen its grip on power after winning the most seats in the by-elections.

Unofficial results showed Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva's Democrat Party and its coalition allies capturing as many as 20 of the 29 parliamentary seats at stake in Sunday's polling.

Bargaining power of other coalition parties like Chart Thai Pattana or Newin Chidchob's group would be lessened because the Democrats won more seats (seven).

Moreover, the Democrats' victory in both the by-elections and the Bangkok governor's race meant voters granted a chance for the Democrats to rule the country. Now it is up to them to perform at their best to last out the government's term.

The first hat-trick

The Democrat Party is the first party whose candidates had three consecutive wins in the Bangkok governor's race. Party's candidate Apirak Kosayodhin won the race in 2004 and 2008, followed by the new governor, M.R. Sukhumbhand Paribatra in 2009.

It was also the first time in Bangkok gubernatorial race history that the governor came from the concurrent ruling party.

Party popularity dictate

Party is the most important factor for voters when deciding to cast their votes in the Bangkok governor's election. The election result showed voters chose by the party, not for a single or independent candidate. Democrats' M.R. Sukhumbhand Paribatra and Pheu Thai's Yuranan Pamornmontri received support from the same political bases as their parties' previous candidates in the previous election.

Lamphun

The province in the north has the highest turnout, 75.26 per cent, in the by-elections. Lamphun became a big headline last week when Democrat chief advisor Chuan Leekpai was pelted with eggs during his election campaign. Anyway, a Democrat candidate won the election although the province is a defunct People Power Party stronghold.

Samut Prakan, the Bangkok's adjacent province, had the least turnout of 43.37 per cent.