Bangkok votes for governor in 1st election since 2014 coup

22/5/2022 19:17

        Voters in the Thai capital headed to the polls Sunday to elect a new governor in a contest delayed by a military coup that still reflects a divided country with main candidates either supported by the conservative establishment or the liberal opposition.
        
        A record 31 candidates entered the race, but the battle being watched most closely is between two who registered as independents.
        
        One is former Transport Minister Chadchart Sittipunt, a front-runner, and the other Asawin Kwanmuang, who served as the military-appointed governor since 2016. He stepped down in March to contest the election.
        
        The candidates campaigned on issues including congestion, pollution and persistent flooding. There are 4.4 million registered voters in the city, the country's biggest. Apart from governor, they're also electing city council members. Bangkok's last gubernatorial election was in 2013, a year before the military toppled a democratically elected government.