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NATTAYA CHETCHOTIROS

The legitimacy and authority given to Apirak Kosayodhin to govern Bangkok not only means an end to the Democrat party's victory drought in the gubernatorial poll but also indicates that Thai Rak Thai party's iron-fisted control of power is prised open, political observers said of his resounding victory yesterday.

Theerapat Serirangsan, dean of Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University's faculty of political science, believed results of yesterday's governor election was a sign of things to come.

``Mr Apirak's win is a boon for the Democrats but a blow to Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and Thai Rak Thai, at least in the capital,'' Mr Theerapat said.

With 69.5% of the votes counted at press time, Mr Apirak had a 240,000-vote unassailable lead over Pavena Hongsakula, his closest rival. That is 38.8% of the votes versus 25.6%. Chuwit Kamolvisit made a strong showing capturing 14% while Pol Capt Chalerm Yubamrung got 6.8%. The voter turnout was 62.5% _ the highest ever for a governor election.

Mr Theerapat predicted a poor election showing for Thai Rak Thai in Bangkok in the general election early next year, saying the ruling party could see its support continue to slide before city voters teach it another lesson by electing less than half of its present 28 MPs back to parliament.

A new, true ``third alternative'' party that could command public trust and respect, if any, could even cause Thai Rak Thai's popularity to hit rock bottom and hand it a humiliating poll defeat, he said.

Mr Theerapat, however, said the general election in the Bangkok battleground would likely be a knife-edge duel between Thai Rak Thai and the Democrats and he thought the opposition party would emerge the champion.

But the academic cautioned Bangkok voters against placing excessive optimism in Mr Apirak and his party.

Mr Theerapat said the Democrat party had long adopted a conservative management style, which never proved a success.

Orathai Kokpol, a Thammasat University political scientist, said voters gave Mr Apirak sympathy votes because they did not want to kick the Democrat party when it was down.

``They came to the rescue of that party because they did not want Thai Rak Thai to hammer the final nail in its coffin.

``Thai society likes to throw weak people another lifeline. We are an ua-athorn society,'' Ms Orathai said.

She said the Democrat party was seeing a surge in public support and could win in big cities in the general election but that still could not be translated into a thumping defeat of Thai Rak Thai as Mr Thaksin's popularity was in no way in tatters. Ms Orathai agreed city residents could not expect sweeping changes in the way the city did business during Mr Apirak's first year in office as the 2005 budget had already been planned and endorsed by outgoing governor Samak Sundaravej.

Apirak Kosayodhin is mobbed by cameramen and reporters last night after gaining a clear lead over Pavena Hongsakula in the race for city governor. — SOMCHAI LAOPAISARNTAKSIN

Mr Apirak won but still had a mountain to climb, she said, adding that a question mark remained over whether he could deliver his campaign pledges which dealt with several problems no Bangkok governors had ever solved, including traffic congestions.

Ms Orathai believed Mr Apirak could seal the victory partially because he was a politician who does not resemble one, and that reflected people's negative perception of Thai politicians.

Pitch Pongsawat, a Chulalongkorn University political analyst, said Bangkok voters could see the two political giants fiercely compete for their support in the lead-up to the national poll.

He warned that could make the country carry a heavier debt burden if each heavily sold populist policies. Mr Pitch said he did not want the election to be merely ``a SMS to the government'' but the start of serious action in amending laws to give the governor all the power he needed to run the city.

The tension shows as Pavena Hongsakula, candidate No. 7, takes in the results. — PATTANAPONG HIRUNARD

The law changes could also give the city council the power to take action against the governor if he could not do what he had promised, which would be good for democracy in the city. The Campaign for Popular Democracy said the silent majority gave Mr Apirak an outpouring of votes because they did not want Thai Rak Thai to have absolute control over politics.

CPD urged this silent majority to stop Thai Rak Thai winning 400 House seats in the general election.

Pol Capt Chalerm, who came fourth in the election, predicted a rough road for Mr Apirak, saying he would find it hard to get cooperation from the government and Thai Rak Thai's city and district councillors.

He said the government may even push for quick passage of a bill that would divide Bangkok into several small administrative areas, each having its own ruler, to cut the power of the Bangkok governor.

The Interior Ministry could try to add insult to injury by using any mechanisms it had to block Mr Apirak's campaign pledges from being materialised, he said. Thai Rak Thai spokesman Suranand Vejjajiva said the party accepted the decision but still believed Mr Apirak's win did not mean they had turned their backs on the government.

``We do not think the Bangkok governor election can have any effect on the general election,'' Mr Suranand said.

A Thai Rak Thai source said the party believed Mr Apirak won because of his personality, plus support of the silent majority.

His closest contender, Mrs Pavena, failed to present her policies in the best light while Pol Capt Chalerm and Mr Chuwit had dark sides that voters could not forget, the source said.