Thailand's opposition candidate leads in early vote counting in gubernatorial election
Purchase this article for republication
Buy SPH photos
Democrat candidate Sukhumbhand Paribatra poses for a photo before casting his vote in Bangkok's gubernatorial election, at a polling station in Bangkok, Thailand on Sunday, March 3, 2013. Mr Sukhumbhand is in the lead in early vote counting in the city's gubernatorial election on Sunday. -- PHOTO: AP
BANGKOK - Thailand's opposition Democrat party is in the lead in early vote counting in the city's gubernatorial election on Sunday.
Democrat candidate Sukhumbhand Paribatra is seeking a second four-year term as governor of Bangkok. He is in a tight race with the ruling Puea Thai party candidate Pongsapat Pongcharoen.
The election takes place two years after Puea Thai won a resounding parliamentary majority in its general election.
The Democrats had pitched the gubernatorial battle as a means to avert a political monopoly by the ruling party.
