Mayor Pairat Suttithamrongsawat, the first mayor in Pattaya to be elected by popular vote, thanks his constituents for voting him in.

Pairat Suttithamrongsawat won Pattaya’s mayoral election on February 12th by an overwhelming margin, becoming Pattaya’s first mayor elected by popular vote.

Previously, Pattaya’s mayor came out of the city council, and would then hire a city manager to run the day-to-day operations of the city. This election and sweeping changes in Pattaya’s administration are a direct result of the new constitution, which came into effect this year.

Pairat Suttithamrongsawat received a total of 16,274 votes. Former city manager Somsak Yomjinda finished a distant second in the balloting with 3,092 votes, followed by Apised Saksek in third with 819. A fourth candidate, Surachai Chuayjareuntham withdrew from the race early on.

21,233 voters went to the polls out of the 50,486 eligible voters in Pattaya, making for a scant 40% turnout.

The new election process for Pattaya city mayor was announced on 29 November 1999. Soon after, the city council was dissolved when the Ministry of Interior issued instructions to the Chonburi Governor and Pattaya City to hold new elections within 90 days in accordance with the new 1999 constitution.