Greater interest this time

Published on November 07, 2005 - Keen electoral race expected as voters in Chiang Rai show more awareness of the importance of the upper house

The road to the Senate through Chiang Rai next year is expected to be jam-packed with at least 20 candidates – many of them possible dark horses – jockeying for one of the four seats from this northern province.

Speculation is also intensifying about the possible candidacy of several influential figures. Already, Salakchit Tiyapairat, wife of Natural Resources and Environment Minister Yongyuth Tiyapairat, is reported to be a clear favourite.

Other high-profile candidates, such as a former chairman of the provincial Election Commission, Samroeng Punyopakorn, and Governor Worakiat Somsoi, have not yet declared their intentions.

Not so Sermchai Kittirattanapaiboon, a former president of the Chiang Rai Chamber of Commerce. He is eager to start campaigning.

Surasit Jiamwijak, Thai Rak Thai MP for Chiang Rai’s Constituency 3, predicted the senatorial contest next year could attract between 20 and 30 candidates from various walks of life, compared to 19 candidates in the 2000 race.

Surasit theorised that Sermchai and Salakchit, if she decides to contest, will be favourites. He has seen Salakchit visiting local residents, but is not sure if she was doing as a minister’s wife or as a potential senatorial candidate.

Truly independent candidates will be hard to find, Surasit said. Many current senators are beholden either to NGOs, to Thai Rak Thai, or to the Democrats. As a result, the democratic ideal of truly independent senators engaged in non-partisan politics is already well out of reach.

However, candidates who cannot win the hearts of voters may face an uphill battle regardless of their connections, Surasit said.

During the last election, voters hoped that senators would work tirelessly on behalf of their constituencies, rather than focusing on legislation. In fact, unlike MPs, senators rarely mingled with constituents, he said.

Therefore, the clear favourites this time around will be candidates who have recognisable achievements to their credit.

Nevertheless, candidates who’ve already declared their intentions are trying hard to leave little to chance.

A source close to Sermchai, for instance, said the businessman has already prepared 50,000 leaflets and begun door-to-door canvassing as a representative not only of the business elite but also of the common people.

Another Thai Rak Thai MP, Visarn Techateerawat, from Constituency 4, said many candidates have already begun campaigning amid growing popular interest in the upcoming election. Voters understand not only the workings but also the political leverage of the Senate better than they did in the previous election, he said.

“[People know that] senators have as many rights as MPs,” Wisarn said. “In fact, they enjoy even more political clout in areas such as appointing people to work for independent organisations. Besides, they are independent of political parties. So many more candidates will stand for election than last time – around 30, I think.”

He said the provincial Election Commission should begin monitoring the campaign for signs of improper conduct. He said some candidates are running politicised campaigns “as if they are candidates for the House of representatives”, by wooing canvassers and local administrators with “business trips” and other perks.

A probable candidate, Samroeng Punyopakorn, was governor of Chiang Rai from 1999 to 2001 and a chairman of the province’s Election Commission. He stressed that there are no conflicts of interest because he resigned from his EC post in September.

He declined to discuss his chances of winning a seat, saying he has not yet publicly announced his intention to run. However, he sees himself as one of the top four favourites if he does decide to run.

He plans a platform of fostering the welfare of local officials. As a former government official he has seen how hampered honest kamnan and village chiefs are in exercising their rights, whereas other officials become so corrupt in the interest of “dark powers” that they cannot be trusted to carry out their obligations dutifully, he said.

Kamron Booncherd, governor of the province from 1991-1996, said he wants to make way for a new generation.

“I’m getting old, so I think I’d better let younger people handle the job,” he said. “Moreover, I don’t think I am truly cut out for a political career. I’ve been a government official almost all of my life and the culture of politics doesn’t appeal to me any more.”

Budsarakham Sinlapalavan
The Nation