BANGKOK (AP) — Voters in the Thai capital are electing a new governor in a contest delayed by a military coup that still reflects a divided country with main candidates either supported by the conservative establishment or the liberal opposition.
A record 31 candidates entered the race but the battle being watched most closely is between two who registered as independents. One is a former transport minister and front-runner associated with the main opposition party, and the other had served as the military-appointed governor since 2016.
Bangkok’s last gubernatorial election was in 2013, a year before the military toppled a democratically elected government. Analysts say the result will reflect on the future of Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, who has been in power for eight years
