PHUKET: The incumbent president of the Phuket Provincial Administrative Organisation will start a strong favorite to be returned in fresh elections for the important role.
Pink billboards supporting Paiboon Upatising could already be seen around Phuket yesterday when a second candidate emerged for Phuket's top elected position.
Registering as No. 2 candidate was Chayot Wisantawong, a retired government official from Pa Klok, who shares many of Khun Paiboon's aspirations for Phuket and whose candidacy at least legitimises the poll.
Khun Chayot is a former Phuket teacher who retains close connections within the administrative organisation.
About 200,000 people are entitled to vote on April 7. The Phuket Provincial Administrative Organisation oversees the largest budget of any elected body on Phuket.
Khun Paiboon was first to nominate when registration opened on Monday and so has the No. 1 position on the ballot.
A potential third candidate, Wisut Santikul, turned up at Phuket Community Hall with supporters to register with the Phuket Election Commission yesterday but decided in the end not to nominate.
Khun Wisut, who served as deputy president under one of Khun Paiboon's predecessors, told journalists that he had been tempted to stand because Phuket's traffic chaos should have already been fixed, along with some of Phuket's other chronic problems.
Pink billboards supporting Paiboon Upatising could already be seen around Phuket yesterday when a second candidate emerged for Phuket's top elected position.
Registering as No. 2 candidate was Chayot Wisantawong, a retired government official from Pa Klok, who shares many of Khun Paiboon's aspirations for Phuket and whose candidacy at least legitimises the poll.
Khun Chayot is a former Phuket teacher who retains close connections within the administrative organisation.
About 200,000 people are entitled to vote on April 7. The Phuket Provincial Administrative Organisation oversees the largest budget of any elected body on Phuket.
Khun Paiboon was first to nominate when registration opened on Monday and so has the No. 1 position on the ballot.
A potential third candidate, Wisut Santikul, turned up at Phuket Community Hall with supporters to register with the Phuket Election Commission yesterday but decided in the end not to nominate.
Khun Wisut, who served as deputy president under one of Khun Paiboon's predecessors, told journalists that he had been tempted to stand because Phuket's traffic chaos should have already been fixed, along with some of Phuket's other chronic problems.
