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Published on December 25, 2007

"I am stunned," Sonthaya said, "All these candidates should have been the favourite choices."

He said such results had never happened before in Chon Buri, which has always seen candidates endorsed by his family win easily in past polls.

"We have to discuss what factors have led to this scenario. It has never happened before."

Sonthaya fielded several candidates under the Chart Thai banner and was confident they would win seats "as usual".

However, his contenders lost out to Democrat Party candidates, who had never won such support from locals.

Analysts said the poor performances could be blamed on the fact his father, Somchai, otherwise known as "Kamnan Poh", was a fugitive on the run. He is wanted for murder and corruption charges.

Before he fled, he served as a kamnan (village chief) and had wielded huge influence in Chon Buri. Many MP hopefuls won seats at local and national elections "with his blessing".

Somchai was known to campaign seriously ahead of elections, whereas Sonthaya has visited constituents less, preferring instead to accept invitations to various events. In fact, the Kunplomes' political decline started in the April 2 election last year when "no votes" topped the number of support votes he got.

And with the Constitutional Tribunal banning Sonthaya and 110 other executives of the Thai Rak Thai (TRT) Party, his support has dropped more.

Adding to his woes, Chart Thai leader Banharn Silapa-archa did not come to Chon Buri for a big rally.

An informed source said the candidates from the family fold had to fund their own campaigns.

The Nation