Three candidates take their policies to the people

Three gubernatorial candidates yesterday met Bangkok voters to present policies they hope will win their votes in the March election.

_ Democrat candidate MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra said if he won re-election, he would expand the project to allow local communities to combat the drug trade by installing CCTV cameras in their communities. Sukhumbhand said the project would incorporate an additional 200 communities from the 10 already started.

He also promised to increase the number of city schools to teach the Malayu language from 82 to 100 to allow students to learn additional foreign languages, apart from English and Chinese. He also vowed to increase the number of people who can complete occupational training courses to 200,000 in four years from 100,000 people.

He said while he was Bangkok governor he instructed that community colleges be transferred to the jurisdiction of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration so the city administration could provide occupational training for more Muslims.

_ Pheu Thai Party candidate Pongsapat Pongcharoen has promised to start an air-conditioned tour tram project worth Bt700 million to take tourists around Rattanakosin Island, hoping to attract 25 million visitors per year.

He said the project would increase tourism income and reduce pollution and the traffic of large tour buses in the inner city.

The tram track would be 12-15 kilometres long and cover 12 stations.

Pongsapat team visited Wat Saket Woramahawiharn and conducted a Buddhist rite to seek a blessing from the sacred temple. Pongsapat wrote the number 9, which is his candidate number, and his name on a piece of red cloth and wrapped more red cloth around the Chedi Phukhao Thong. It rained after the group completed the rite, though the sun had been bright earlier. Pongsapat moved on to seek votes in the Bo Be market as the rain continued. He promised to reduce prices of goods in the market by re-organising the market area. He talked to people waiting at a bus stop and at one, supporters gave him a bouquet of flowers.

He said if he won the election, he would develop Klong Padung Krungkasem into a shopping area, a park and a sports centre. To reduce the shortage of parking space, he would start an underground parking project. If the project could not be developed, he would find rented land to provide parking so that motorists would not park on the roads, causing traffic problems.

Pongsapat also sought votes in Mahanak Mosque, talking to the Imam about an Arabic language course provided by the mosque. The candidate spent three hours talking to voters till his voice was gone.

_ Independent candidate Pol General Sereepisuth Temeeyaves visited Bang Khae market to meet voters. He drew laughter from passers-by as he tried to chop up a chicken. If he wins, he vowed to have an air-conditioning system in the market and to clean it, which can be done immediately for a market under the city administration and within one year for holders who belong to private entities.

Sereepisuth said he would talk to Dr Seri Suparathit, a water management expert, over reports he has withdrawn as his proposed deputy.