2013 Bangkok gubernatorial election

The tenth election for the governorship of Bangkok took place on 3 March 2013. The election was won by incumbent governor MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra of the Democrat Party. Twenty-five candidates contested the election. Pol Gen Pongsapat Pongcharoen, representing the Pheu Thai Party, was regarded as the other major contender.

2013 Bangkok gubernatorial election

3 March 2013
Turnout	63.98%
Candidate Sukhumbhand Paribatra Pongsapat Pongcharoen Sereepisuth Temeeyaves Party Democrat Pheu Thai Independent Popular vote 1,256,349 1,077,899 166,582 Percentage 47.75% 40.97% 6.33%
Gubernatorial election results map. Blue denotes districts won by Paribatra, Red denotes those won by Pongcharoen.
Governor before election Sukhumbhand Paribatra Democrat Elected Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra Democrat

Campaign

The election was scheduled to take place sixty days after Sukhumbhand resigned on 9 January 2013, his second-to-last day of office. (Resignation, as opposed to completion of the term, effectively extended the election deadline for another fifteen days.) The Election Commission accepted registrations on 21–25 January, although unofficial campaigning had begun earlier.

The election was viewed as a sharp contest between the Democrat Party, whose candidates had held the governorship since 2004, and the Pheu Thai Party, which lead the current national government. While Bangkok is regarded as a traditional stronghold of the Democrat Party, Sukhumbhand faced low public approval ratings. Prior to endorsing Sukhumbhand, the party faced internal controversy over the candidacy. Sukhumbhand's first-term performance was generally viewed as poor, a fact some have attributed to partisan conflicts between the city and national governments. The Pheu Thai Party picked up on this dissatisfaction and campaigned on "seamless coordination" between the governments. Its candidate, Pongsapat, previously served as spokesman of the Royal Thai Police.

Candidates

The highlight of the election was also other candidates who ran independently, including:

• Police General Seripisut Temiyavet, former Commissioner-General of the Royal Thai Police and anti-corruption activist;
• Suharit Siamwala, DJ and business executive;
• Kosit Suvinitjit, former CEO of Media of Medias Co. and Spring News channel;
• Thoranee Rittheethamrong, an exorcist who revealed that she applied for candidacy "because of the Heaven's mandate" by which she has been directed to "liberate Bangkok from the authority of the Ministry of Interior and transfer this authority to its citizens";
• Jongjit Hirunlabh, environmentalist;
• Captain Metta Temchamnan, war veteran;
• Wila Udom, Chatuchak Market representative.
• Sopon Pornchokchai, real estate valuer and researcher

Results

Election map showing the popular vote share in each district of Bangkok

Sukhumbhand won the election with 1,256,349 votes, or 47.75% percent of votes cast. Pongsapat won 1,077,899 votes (40.97%). Voter turnout was 63.98 percent.

2013 Bangkok gubernatorial election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democrat	Sukhumbhand Paribatra	1,256,349	47.75	+3.34
	Pheu Thai	Pongsapat Pongcharoen	1,077,899	40.97	+11.91
	Independent	Sereepisuth Temeeyaves	166,582	6.33	N/A
	Independent	Suharit Siamwala	78,825	3.00	N/A
	Independent	Kosit Suwinijjit	28,640	1.09	N/A
	Thai Rubber	Sukhum Wongprasit	2,730	0.10	N/A
	Thai Sufficienc	Chamrat Inthumarn	2,594	0.10	N/A
	Independent	Sumet Tanthanasirikul	2,537	0.10	−0.20
	Independent	Sanhaphot Suksrimueang	2,089	0.08	N/A
	Independent	Natdanai Phubetatthawich	1,341	0.05	N/A
	Independent	Wila Udom	1,314	0.05	N/A
	Independent	Metta Temchamchan	1,301	0.05	-0.02
	Independent	Prateep Watcharachokkasem	1,250	0.05	N/A
	Independent	Jongchit Hirunlap	1,194	0.05	N/A
	Independent	Sophon Phonchokchai	1,128	0.04	N/A
	Independent	Thaine Rittheethamrong	922	0.04	-0.06
	Independent	Samit Smithinan	697	0.03	N/A
	Independent	Wasin Pirom	650	0.03	N/A
	Independent	Waranchai Chokchana	638	0.02	N/A
	Independent	Nanthapat Kosaikanon	634	0.02	N/A
	Independent	Supachai Kasemwong	464	0.02	N/A
	Independent	Khajonsak Kosayothin	461	0.02	N/A
	Independent	Krit Suriyaphon	273	0.01	N/A
	Independent	Witthaya Jangkobphatthana	266	0.01	N/A
	Independent	Rawiwan Suttawireesan	112	0.00	N/A
Majority			178,450	6.78	-8.57
Turnout			2,630,890	63.98	+12.88
	Democrat hold		Swing	-4.29