Pheu Thai crushed in Thaksin’s home province

The Pheu Thai party was beaten soundly in the election in Chiang Mai yesterday, the home province of imprisoned former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, with the party failing to win even one of the 10 constituency seats, compared to two in the last election in 2023.

The People’s party won six seats, one fewer than in the last election, while the Kla Tham Party took four seats, according to the unofficial election results, provided by the Election Commission at 9.40pm last night, after 92.83% of the votes had been counted.

The Pheu Thai party had won all 10 constituency seats in the elections of 2005 and 2011.

In Chiang Rai province, Visarn Techateerawat, a nine-time MP of the Pheu Thai party in Constituency 3, was defeated by Pitak Saengchan of the Kla Tham party, also a former provincial councillor. Another Pheu Thai candidate, three-time MP Visaradee Techateerawat, lost to Kla Tham candidate, Surasith Chiamwichak.

The Pheu Thai party was also routed in Nan province yesterday, having won all the three constituency seats in the last election.

The party failed to retain a single seat. Chaowit Innoy and Charoen Apipattharakosol of the People’s party won in Constituencies 1 and 3, while Prasit Notha of the Kla Tham dethroned Dr. Chonlanan Srikaew, former leader of the Pheu Thai party.

In Nakhon Sawan province, Bhumjaithai won five constituency seats, leaving one for the Kla Tham party.

In Phayao province, the hometown of Thammanat Prompao, leader of the Kla Tham Party, saw his family secure all three constituency seats.