Key areas hold first Municipal elections
PHUKET: The first-ever municipal elections in Rassada, Rawai and Wichit, all upgraded from tambon administration organization (OrBorTor) to municipality (tessabaan tambon) status in August, were held November 17.
In Rassada, large crowds amassed at the vote-counting center at Phuket Rajabhat University. Suratin Lian-udom, leader of Raksa Rassada, won 3,264 votes to defeat Preecha Jai-ard of Rassada Prongsai party, with 3,241 votes.
Somchai Duangkae won 2,700 votes and former OrBorTor President Sutas Hongboot won 1,716 votes. Voter turnout was 58.7% of the 20,232 eligible voters.
In Rawai, Pattana Rawai leader Aroon Solos won 2,846 votes to hold off Kraiwoot Koombaan, with 2,284 votes. Turnout was 5,526 (66.6 %) out of 8,301 eligible voters.
Officials counting the votes at Muang Phuket School announced the results at 5 am the next day after both candidates agreed to go ahead despite a one-ballot discrepancy between the number of voters who signed in and the number of ballots cast.
There was little drama during the vote counting at the Wichit Municipality Office, as incumbent OrBorTor President Kreetar Saetan ran unopposed for the top seat and got the 20% minimum number of votes needed to take office, with 6,729 out of the total 25,824 eligible voters. Voter turnout was just over 35%.
In addition to the polling for the presidency, voters also cast ballots for regular council seats, of which 12 were up for grabs in each of the three municipalities.
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