Governor hopefuls take to the roads to make a final plea

Pheu Thai candidate writes an open letter to Bangkokians; Sukhumbhand promises new canals

The Pheu Thai and Democrat parties yesterday held their last campaign rallies and stepped up efforts to try to win support for their candidates for tomorrow's Bangkok governor election.

Pheu Thai candidate Pongsapat Pongcharoen issued an open letter to Bangkokians, seeking support, with a promise to serve them the best he could.

In the open letter, Pongsapat said he had met residents of 50 Bangkok districts during his 45 days of campaigning, and had taken note of their problems and suggestions on how to tackle them.

He said he was also welcomed and provided moral support by many Bangkokians so he would like to thank them and would like to promise that he would devote himself to serve them if he was elected tomorrow.

Danuporn Punnakan, the spokesman at Pheu Thai's Bangkok election centre, said the party would today launch 50 processions to campaign in 50 Bangkok districts. The processions would be launched by Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra from Royal Plaza at 8am.

Apart from the open letter, the Pheu Thai held its last major rally at Lumpini Park at 4pm. The rally was joined by the prime minister and several Pheu Thai MPs.

Democrat candidate Sukhumbhand Paribatra yesterday campaigned by holding a press conference at the Army Sports Development Centre on Ram-Indra Road, promising to build four fast-drainage canals in Bangkok.

Sukhumbhand said the four canals would link extensive drainage pipes in the capital to main rivers to drain rainwater in time. He said the four canals would be able to drain rainwater at an average of more than 60 millimetres.

The first canal would be 13km long, to be built along Pradit-Manoontham Road to the Rama-IX flood tunnel. Construction will cost Bt2.2 billion.

The second canal will be built from behind the Criminal Court along Ratchadaphisek to Prem Canal, at a cost of about Bt100 million, Sukhumbhand said.

The third fast-drainage canal will link several canals on the Thon Buri side and will also link to the giant flood canal. The fourth canal will be built along Ram-Indra Road, from Army Sports Development Centre to Loompai Canal, with a budget of Bt368 million.

Sukhumbhand said he would be able to start the four canal projects right away if he was re-elected. The project would be expanded to 5,000 kilometres of drainage pipes, carried out in phases.

The Democrat Party also held its last major rally at Benjasiri Park at 5pm.

Meanwhile, independent candidate Seripisuth Temiyawes held his last major rally at the public grounds of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration. In a related development, the Election Commission yesterday organised a march to Siam Paragon shopping mall to urge young voters to exercise their rights tomorrow.

To know the policies of Bangkok's governor hopefuls on pollution and education - issues they seemed to play down - visit nationmultimedia.com