Pattaya will host nearly 150 polling stations for the May 22 mayoral and city council election.
Pattaya City Manager Pramote Tubtim said officials are prepared for the polls, as a 5-milion-baht budget was earlier allocated for election preparations.
The filing window for candidacies will run from March 31 to April 4 at city hall.
Pramote said Pattaya has a registered-voter base of about 80,000, about 80% of the city’s registered population. However, elections for district and subdistrict officials held in 2021 and 2020 during the coronavirus pandemic saw a turnout of less than 70%.
He expects turnout for the mayor and council races to be greater, as this is the first time in about a decade Pattaya residents will be able to cast votes for their local leaders.
Mayor Sonthaya Kunplome – who was appointed, not elected – is expected to run, although he has not announced a decision on whether he will seek the mayorship or be one of his Rao Raksa Pattaya (We Preserve Pattaya) council candidates.
The Move Forward Party named lifelong Pattaya resident Kittisak “Bob” Ninwattanatochai as its candidate, as well as a slate of 24 young progressives.
The ruling Palang Pracharath Party will not field a candidate. While other independents will run, none are expected to draw many votes.
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