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BANGKOK: The governor of Thailand's capital Bangkok has been re-elected, officials said Monday, after a colourful election race marred by fisticuffs and tragedy.
Apirak Kosayodhin, deputy head of the opposition Democrat Party, got nearly 46 per cent of Sunday's vote in the city to win another four-year term, the city administration announced.
Apirak will officially take office for his second term after the Election Commission confirms the results.
He beat the ruling People Power Party (PPP) candidate Prapas Chongsa-nguan, and has promised to improve the city's image as anti-government protests drag on for a second month.
Prapas, whose party is battling protesters occupying Bangkok's main government compound, got just over 25 per cent of the vote.
The PPP fared badly in Bangkok in general elections last December, and has been trying to regain support in the capital.
Former massage parlour tycoon Chuwit Kamolvisit had been riding high in the polls until he was accused of punching a television presenter last week, and dropped to third place with around 16 per cent of the vote.
Another candidate, the gregarious lawyer and makeup saleswoman Leena Jangjanya, bathed in a canal to highlight Bangkok's lack of clean water, but the stunt turned to tragedy when her chief campaign advisor drowned.
Leena came fifth with less than one per cent of the vote.
- AFP/yb
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