Poramet Ngampichet leads vote count for Pattaya mayor poll

As of 8.31pm, Poramet had won 14,590 votes, followed by 12,695 won by Pattaya Ruamjai's Sinchai Wattanasatsathorn and 8,826 by Progressive Movement's Kittisak Ninwattanatochai.

Independent candidate Sakchai Taenghor held up the rear with just 895 votes as of press time.

This is the first time in nine years that Bangkok and Pattaya residents have been given a say in who runs their cities after local elections were suspended when the military took over in 2014.

Coincidentally, May 22 (Sunday) also marks the eighth anniversary of the coup led by then-Army chief General Prayut Chan-o-cha toppled Yingluck Shinawatra’s government.

Poramet has come up with a policy called “Better Pattaya”, which will focus on boosting tourism events, extending service hours of entertainment venues and adding more landmarks to the city to attract both local and foreign tourists. He also plans to open the Na Kluea mangrove forest to serve as an off-the-beaten-track destination for tourists.

The politician is well known in the city because he has worked closely with the political dynasty of late Somchai Kunplome, who was better known as Kamnan Poh, the “Godfather of Chonburi”.

The first runner-up Sinchai had worked with Poramet in the Pattaya Council and was appointed as president of the Pattaya Business and Tourism Association twice.

Pattaya has 78,415 voters and almost 70 per cent showed up to cast their vote as expected by the Election Commission.