The conference room at Patong?s municipal offices erupted into noisy cheering on 24 June as two teams of candidates in the city?s 27 July election brought more than 500 supporters to mark the first official day of the campaigning period. During the candidate signup event, Patong Mayor Pian Keesin brought his 18-members Patong Kaonaa team. Running against the incumbent team, Somkiate Kuru brought 18 members of the Rak Patong team.

The first order of business was to establish ballot position. Khun Somkiate drew the number one, which puts the Rak Patong team as the first grouping to appear on municipal ballots, in slots 1 to 6 in all three of the city?s election zones. Khun Pian?s Patong Kaonaa team will appear in slots 7 to 12.

Deputy Mayor Poonsak Nakkasaena, a nonpolitical civil servant who manages Patong?s municipal administration during the campaign period, explained that candidates would register between 24 and 27 June, with the vote being held on 27 July. He estimated that more than 60 percent of registered residents would cast votes that day, encouraging businesses to allow eligible employees to take time off to go to polling places.