View Full Version : Hat-Yai Politics
Lord Mayor of Hat-Yai Phrai Pattano has recently embarked on a poster campaign for a city helpline that outshines the efforts of the local TRT candidate. He's also encorporated a lot more English in his website. Now you can even read some of the budget plans in English. I would guess that there is a fair imput of his own work in the pages, as he did some of his education in the states, and even ran a restaurant in California. The various plans seem fairly low-key for the next three years, concentrating on quality of life issues rather than transport infrastructure. The site realistically reports the Municipal area as containing 157,000 people. This probably means that estimates of 195,000 are for Hat-Yai District including the Municipality. Here's a short history of the Municipality. The budget mentions spending on a city museum this year:-
http://www.hatyaicity.go.th/content_eng/
Formerly Hatyai Sukhaphiban, a small local administration form, with its main office currently at the public library, Hatyai Subdistrict Municipality was officially established on 11 December 1935 under the administration of first mayor Udom Bunlong, covering the area of 4.4 sq. km. Its temporary office was past of Immigration Office, currently Songkhla Immigration Office, Hatyai Police Station and Police Residence.
It was until 1937 when a new 2-storey public health building was constructed opposite the immigration office and was completed in 1938. Its first floor was the municipal office while the second was the public health center.
Later in the administration of mayor Piti Chawapong, with the growth of population and economy, Hatyai Subdistrict Municipality was promoted to be Hatyai Municipality on 16 March 1949 with its subsequent growth. Then, on 10 May 1961, the municipality area was expanded to 8 sq. km.
• Due to its growing municipal officers and public services, mayor Komes Intawong and his municipal councilors proposed and constructed a new municipal office building at 445 Petchakasem Road, Hatyai, Songkhla with a 5 million baht loan for a land purchase and a 4,864,000 baht municipal budget for the construction cost and it was completed on 22 March 1968.
The building was officially open on 13 August 1968. Since then, the municipality development has continued greatly. The second municipal area expansion was undertaken from 8 sq. km. to 21 sq. km. on 24 April 1977. It was in 1995 during the administration of mayor Khreng Suwannawong when the municipality was promoted to be Hatyai Municipality with its growing revenue and population.
• Currently, with its population of 157, 316, Hatyai Municipality covers 21 sq. km. bordering Klong Hae Subdistrict on the north, Khor Hong Subdistrict on the south and the east, and Khuan Lang Subdistrict on the west. The municipal development has been witnessed since its first stage and its growth will be continuing with its high potentialities.
Some of the fish-selling harridans of Hat-Yai Fresh Market were rather incensed by the rough-handling of Khun Chuan at the abortive Dems rally in CM university. Their answer was to refuse to serve Chiang-Mai folk who had arrived on a Rot Tua bus trip to the south. The group were also subjected to a great deal of verbal harassment before finally deciding it might be a good idea to scarper back to the comparative safety of their bus.
See also previous post on the 'Hat-Yai Unwired' Project initiated by the current Lord Mayor Prai Pattano.
Something unusual seems to be happening in this election. Early Prai Pattano re-election posters made no mention of the party he was/is standing for - despite his known allegiance to the Democrat Party. Now his posters have started cropping up with the Democrat Party logo on them. Compare BEFORE & AFTER below:
http://img161.imageshack.us/img161/1207/dsc00001di1.jpg
http://img128.imageshack.us/img128/9033/dsc00005qx0.jpg
Another candidate appears to be Pongsak Jirophat - a known associate of ex-PM Chuan Leekphai - the Democrat Party's former leader and current senior advisor. One wonders why Pongsak has not apparently stood under the Democrat banner. Instead, he seems to be representing something called 'Niobai See Khao' or the 'White Policy Group'. This name suggests he is looking to clean something up in Hat-Yai City Municipality politics. Do we detect a split here? I'll try and find out - and also post up one of Khun Pongsak's posters here.
I wondered if he is ethnic Malay / Muslim?
His photo and name seem to suggest that (though I may of course be wrong).
If so, wouldn't it be rather unusual for Songkhla - what is the approximate percentage of Muslims in the province (something around 20-30%?) and in Hat Yai City?
And you reported elsewhere he's been a long-term mayor and is a well-known political figure in the South - for how long has he been at the helm now?
My observations of Prai, and my knowledge of his relatives, indicate that he is a Buddhist southerner with that common southern dark complexion that you find in all local groups. Prai is a Thai language word meaning something like 'Forest'. He lived in California for a while. I believe he also had a Thai restaurant there.
Hat-Yai is a very Chinese (& mixed with Chinese) city, but I believe I am correct in saying that in the province as a whole Muslims are in a very slight majority. Songkhla City District has a greater percentage of Muslims than Hat-Yai District. Even in Hat-Yai, there is a significant Muslim population. They are generally a fairly relaxed bunch, and tend to concentrate on making money - for which there are generally plenty of opportunities for them here. One frequently is not aware what religion people are here. It's often not obvious from dress and habit. In the downtown market area there are some streets in which all the constituent groups live side-by-side with very little friction. They are mostly intent on making money out of each other.
Prai is a one-term Mayor thus far. I believe a term is 4 years.
http://img528.imageshack.us/img528/6575/praismallzf5.jpg
The caption above reads something like:
Mayor Prai
Our Man!
Prachatiphat (Democrat Party)
Our Party!
See also previous post on the 'Hat-Yai Unwired' Project initiated by the current Lord Mayor Prai Pattano.
Another candidate appears to be Pongsak Jirophat - a known associate of ex-PM Chuan Leekphai - the Democrat Party's former leader and current senior advisor. One wonders why Pongsak has not apparently stood under the Democrat banner. Instead, he seems to be representing something called 'Niobai See Khao' or the 'White Policy Group'. This name suggests he is looking to clean something up in Hat-Yai City Municipality politics. Do we detect a split here? I'll try and find out - and also post up one of Khun Pongsak's posters here.
http://img512.imageshack.us/img512/2116/pongsaksmallvy0.jpg
Pongsak seems to be promising that he will somehow channel 150 million Baht of local ratepayers money back to them in various rather unspecified ways in order to stimulate a recovery in the local economy. 50 million of that would be in the form of scholarships. The posters really don't say very much about how he would do this, so you would have to go along to his 'Hyde Park' to find out. He does promise, however, that ratepayer's money will ALL be spend on his economy-stimulation projects, with no rake-offs. Hence Pongsak calling his group the 'White Policy Group' - 'Niobai See Khao'.
http://img123.imageshack.us/img123/3693/pongsakbigkn6.jpg
I still don't know why Pongsak has parted company from the Democrats for this election. This was the situation in January 2007:
http://2bangkok.com/07/DSC01288.jpg
[Photo: GWR - Democrat poster in Hat Yai - January 16, 2007
GWR reports: Here is a Democrat Party poster that is now placed in many locations around Hat Yai. It reads: Chuan Leekphai [Leading party light and ex-PM(x2)], Pongsak Jirophat [Local politician and businessman, and also Khun Chuan's 'Southern' Secretary] and Abhishit Vejajiva [Party Leader] Wishing you Happy New Year and every success for 2550 to the people of Hat Yai [2007]. ]
http://2bangkok.com/07/news07jan.shtml
Prasong's father, Kreng Suwannawong, was a multi-term Lord Mayor of Hat-Yai. If my memory serves me correctly, Prasong was Deputy Mayor in the last term and pretty much took over running the show. Kreng was hugely discredited by a perceived lack of positive action over the last major flood in Hat-Yai in 2000.
http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/5831/prasongbl0.jpg
Kreng and Prasong usually dub their party as the 'Old Team'. This poster seems to taking aim at some of the rival candidates. It reads something like this in slightly poetic manner:
Don't vote for those who will run away from solving your problems!
Vote for a true local who will work hard to address those problems!
Vote for 'Balat Oy'!
I will commit myself 100% to the recovery of Hat-Yai
Vote 'Old Team' for future progress!
'Balat' is the rank of a permanent staff municipal official. 'Oy' is Prasong's nickname. (Nothing to do with 'sugarcane'. More to do with a 'sigh' perhaps. ;) )
Parinand
04-03-08, 11:06 AM
Palat (or Balat), in the case of "Palat Oy", is equivalent to "city clerk".
He is a former Hat Yai city clerk.
However, the term "palat" can be variedly translated, depending upon the context. A palat can be...
- a permanent secretary of a ministry (palat krasuang) such as Permanent Secretary for Defence, Permanent Secretary for Interior, Permanent Secretary for Education, etc.;
- a deputy provincial governor (palat changwat);
- an assistant district officer (palat amphoe);
- a municipal clerk (palat thessaban): city clerk, town clerk, and commune clerk;
- Bangkok Metropolitan city clerk (Palat Krung Thep Mahanakhon or Palat KorThorMor);
- Pattaya city manager (Palat Mueang Pattaya in the old days when City of Pattaya took the council-manager form of government before changing to the current mayor-council form);
- a chief administrator of a provincial administration (palat OrBorJor); or
- a chief administrator of a commune administration (palat OrBorTor).
See also previous four posts on this issue.
http://img512.imageshack.us/img512/2116/pongsaksmallvy0.jpg
Pongsak seems to be promising that he will somehow channel 150 million Baht of local ratepayers money back to them in various rather unspecified ways in order to stimulate a recovery in the local economy. 50 million of that would be in the form of scholarships. The posters really don't say very much about how he would do this, so you would have to go along to his 'Hyde Park' to find out. He does promise, however, that ratepayer's money will ALL be spend on his economy-stimulation projects, with no rake-offs. Hence Pongsak calling his group the 'White Policy Group' - 'Niobai See Khao'.
http://img123.imageshack.us/img123/3693/pongsakbigkn6.jpg
I still don't know why Pongsak has parted company from the Democrats for this election. This was the situation in January 2007:
http://2bangkok.com/07/DSC01288.jpg
[Photo: GWR - Democrat poster in Hat Yai - January 16, 2007
GWR reports: Here is a Democrat Party poster that is now placed in many locations around Hat Yai. It reads: Chuan Leekphai [Leading party light and ex-PM(x2)], Pongsak Jirophat [Local politician and businessman, and also Khun Chuan's 'Southern' Secretary] and Abhishit Vejajiva [Party Leader] Wishing you Happy New Year and every success for 2550 to the people of Hat Yai [2007]. ]
http://2bangkok.com/07/news07jan.shtml
http://www.2bangkok.com/08/noride.jpg
The 'White Policy Group' is now advertising on an anti-cablecar agenda. The current Lord Mayor, Prai Pattano, has for the 2nd Mayoral Campaign in a row said that he favors a cablecar between the Public Park and various tourist attractions that lie on the mountain (Khor Hong Mountain) behind it. 'White Policy' clearly believe this is a waste of local ratepayers' money.
This is all a bit vague at the moment. (And naturally destined to stay as such!) ;)
Apparently some votes (probably those thought to be influential in certain districts) were bought for as much as 1,000 baht each - by a certain candidate who most folks believe was himself 'bought' by a certain ex-PM some years back.
The Municipal Elections were yesterday. It appears that last night's count indicated that the Lord Mayoral incumbent Prai Pattano succeeded in getting many of his Democrat Party councilors elected. But the vote had to be suspended after the mysterious appearance of three undocumented ballot boxes and an attempt by a previous incumbent and his candidate son to muscle their way into the count. By some accounts, this action created quite a stir. It was prevented by army officers supervising the count and the widespread disapproval of spectators. The candidate in question was threatened with a red card.
Many people have hinted that the previous incumbent and his candidate son pretty much ran the municipal as a personal piggybank before their abyssmal performance during the Hat-Yai flood forced their ouster 4 years back. I sense a last-ditch attempt to recoup a heavy electoral investment when things appeared not to be going their way. It is also possible that the family in question decided not to pursue the last election too vigorously 4 years back, knowing that the tide was against them. Doubtless they believed it would all be forgotten by the fickle electorate after 4 years.
I am not sure whether the Lord Mayoral count has resumed yet.
This is all a bit vague at the moment. (And naturally destined to stay as such!) ;)
Apparently some votes (probably those thought to be influential in certain districts) were bought for as much as 1,000 baht each - by a certain candidate who most folks believe was himself 'bought' by a certain ex-PM some years back.
The Municipal Elections were yesterday. It appears that last night's count indicated that the Lord Mayoral incumbent Prai Pattano succeeded in getting many of his Democrat Party councilors elected. But the vote had to be suspended after the mysterious appearance of three undocumented ballot boxes and an attempt by a previous incumbent and his candidate son to muscle their way into the count. By some accounts, this action created quite a stir. It was prevented by army officers supervising the count and the widespread disapproval of spectators. The candidate in question was threatened with a red card.
Many people have hinted that the previous incumbent and his candidate son pretty much ran the municipal as a personal piggybank before their abyssmal performance during the Hat-Yai flood forced their ouster 4 years back. I sense a last-ditch attempt to recoup a heavy electoral investment when things appeared not to be going their way. It is also possible that the family in question decided not to pursue the last election too vigorously 4 years back, knowing that the tide was against them. Doubtless they believed it would all be forgotten by the fickle electorate after 4 years.
I am not sure whether the Lord Mayoral count has resumed yet.
The count has recommenced. Apparently, Prai Pattano has won on all three counts to date. A lot of folks have gone to the Tessabahn to wait for the final decision this afternoon. It seems also that Balat Oy has come in for a great deal of heckling as a result of his high-handed disrespect for the count process last night.
The count has recommenced. Apparently, Prai Pattano has won on all three counts to date. A lot of folks have gone to the Tessabahn to wait for the final decision this afternoon. It seems also that Balat Oy has come in for a great deal of heckling as a result of his high-handed disrespect for the count process last night.
My current understanding is that Prai Pattano has been re-elected Hat-Yai's Lord Mayor:
Prai Pattano - Democrat Party:
http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/forum/showpost.php?p=19980&postcount=68
Balat Oy (Prasong Suwannawong) - The 'Old Team':
http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/forum/showpost.php?p=20016&postcount=70
Pongsak Jirophat - The White Policy Group
http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/forum/showpost.php?p=19982&postcount=69
My current understanding is that Prai Pattano has been re-elected Hat-Yai's Lord Mayor:
Prai Pattano - Democrat Party:
http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/forum/showpost.php?p=19980&postcount=68
Balat Oy (Prasong Suwannawong) - The 'Old Team':
http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/forum/showpost.php?p=20016&postcount=70
Pongsak Jirophat - The White Policy Group
http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/forum/showpost.php?p=19982&postcount=69
Note there is no actual hint here (as yet) of WHO might have tried to perpetrate an electoral fraud, so the previous posts in this thread should perhaps still be taken into account:
Democrats' Hat-Yai win marred by fraud claims
Published on April 8, 2008
A protest delayed yesterday's vote count for the election of Hat Yai's mayor and municipality council members. However, the Democrat Party emerged victorious.
Unofficial results showed that Democrat Party candidate Prai Pattano will become the new mayor of Hat Yai city, Songkhla province. Prai received 26,458 votes, 6,000 more than the runner-up.
The election was marred by the protest of candidate Kriengsak Liewchanpat, who alleged there were electoral irregularities. The protest was then complicated by Hat Yai election chief Arun Anusarn tendering his letter of resignation.
Arun said he decided to resign in order to prove that he was impartial and did not favour any candidate, and also to take responsibility for the alleged electoral fraud.
However, the Songkhla province Election Commission resolved to continue counting the ballots despite the protest by the candidate.
Kriengsak alleged that some 15 ballot boxes did not have the proper signatures of pool officials attached; some 160 ballot papers were incomplete; and the tape used to seal ballot boxes was of different types.
"I don't understand why the Election Commission is turning a blind eye and refusing to investigate when a petition has already been made," said Kriengsak who, according to the unofficial result, received 7,217 votes.
The counting dragged on into yesterday after the protest on Sunday.
The Nation
Songkhla
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2008/04/08/politics/politics_30070317.php
One of the tactics in this election has been currying favor with the motorcycle gangs. Paying for music parties in the hope that they will turn out to vote on the day. Indeed, Balat Oy (Prasong Suwannawong) was said to have been accompanied by some minor hoodlums of the motorcycle gang fraternity as he tried to muscle his way into the counting room. Doubtless - though - there were quite a few who went to the party, but who didn't turn out to vote for the party on the day.
It really is quite difficult to tell what happened on the night of the count. But I am told that the invasion of the count further confused an already somewhat confused situation. It will be interesting to find out whether the protesting Kriengsak came in second place or not. (I don't doubt for a minute that there were some genuine grievances.) It could be that the fraud mainly had an impact on the second and third places, so to speak. And that some folks were rather miffed that their money (which probably came from elsewhere anyway!;)) didn't automatically buy them the power to which they have long been accustomed.
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