It'll be interesting to see who wins this Sunday's election for Bangkok governor. It seems that Taksin's supporters have already given up -- Pheu Thai candidate Yuranan Pamornmontri says he's not having a campaign rally this week because he doesn't want to incovenience his supporters. But Bangkok is considered a stronghold of the anti-Taksin alliance, so this isn't necessarily significant. What will be a blow to the Abhisit-led government is if independent candidate Kaewsan Atibodhi does well.That would demonstrate what I'm hearing from Thailand -- that most people are really fed up with the on-going power struggle between the PAD forces and the PPP. They just want their government to get on with running the country -- sounds like the situation here in the U.S. Some people are even calling Khun Kaewsan "the Thai Obama." He's won support from prominent figures like Seksan Prasertkul and Thirayuth Boonmee from Thammasat University, Chaiyan Chaiyaporn from Chulalongkorn University, and former Mahachon Party chief Anek Laothamatas. They'll all be speaking in support of Khun Kaewsan at a rally near the Grand Palace on Saturday. Interesting site choice, considering that the royals are rumored to be supportive of the Democracy alliance, and would therefore be rooting, quietly of course, for Sukhumbhand Paribatra. Sounds like he's feeling a little nervous -- he felt it necessary this week to tell people who he'll appoint to various government offices, in a bid to win more support. Among them are a former football star and......... his mother. More details at The Nation.
