Never has Bangkok's gubernatorial contest been so much about Thailand. The poll this Sunday is not just about how Bangkok will be run but how Thailand will be ruled. Beyond the usual grievances and issues that traditionally hang over Bangkokians' lives and livelihoods are larger forces at work. Whoever comes out on top will have much to say about the bigger national election that has to be held by this time next year.
As the Bangkok electorate has not had a vote for the capital's governor in nearly a decade, the poll this Sunday is highly anticipated. The air is full of excitement as contenders put up billboards and engage in televised debates, offering various programmes and policies. What is most notable, compared to the last national poll in March 2019, is that the poll-regulating agencies, particularly the Election Commission and the Constitutional Court, do not seem to be assertive as the stakes for Bangkok's governorship are smaller.
