Kanoknuch's long ties with Don Muang led to win
The victory by Kanoknuch Naksuwanpha in the Bangkok city council election on Sunday has surprised many, including Pheu Thai Party, whose people believed that Don Muang district was deeply red and part of "their turf".
On closer examination, however, it is clear that Kanoknuch built her political base in the area over a long time, along with Pheu Thai local politicians like Karun Hosakul, even back at the time when the late Hangthong Thammaawattana was the influential political figure there.
Kanoknuch was formerly with the Chart Thai Party and helped Janista Liewchalermwong secure her MP seat in the district for the first time. Kanoknuch then transferred to Thai Rak Thai and assisted MR Damrongdit Disakul to win an MP seat there.
After the dissolution of Thai Rak Thai, Kanoknuch then joined the Democrats along with canvasser Chutidej Suwannakerd, who was shot and killed earlier this year. Kanoknuch was defeated in the same contest for a city council seat back in 2010 to a brother of Karun, but not his time around.
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