Hanoi (VNA) – Candidate Jadet Jantar of the Pheu Thai Party won the by-election for a parliamentary seat in constituency 1 in Phitsanulok province in the north of Thailand on September 15, beating his only opponent, Nathachanon Chanaburanasak of the opposition People’s Party.
The unofficial vote counting result on September 15 night showed Jadet with 37,209 votes and Nathachanon with 30,640.
Speaking at a press conference immediately after the preliminary result was release, Thai Minister for Public Health Somsak Thepsutin said the victory means the people of this northern province has elected their first Pheu Thai MP in the almost 20 years since it was founded. He added that it showed that people nationwide have confidence in Pheu Thai’s new Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra.
Meanwhile, acting spokesman of the People’s Party Parit Wacharasindhu said Nathachanon and his team will continue to work for the people in the constituency.
Voter turnout for September 15 by-election was 54.95% of the 138,705 eligible voters, with 67,849 valid ballots cast.
The by-election was called after the sitting member, Padipat Santipada, was banned from politics for 10 years following the disbandment of the Move Forward Party, which has been reborn as the People's Party./.
