With only a few more days to go before the Bangkok gubernatorial election, the candidates for governor have, understandably, monopolized media attention and public interest. These candidates, after all, are the heavy-hitters — the big names who are running to be the city’s chief executive.
Of comparatively little interest is the down-ballot race (or, to be accurate, the pink ballot race, as they are to be voted for on pink ballots separate from the governor ballot): the Bangkok Metropolitan Council election. This year, the assembly is being voted for on the same date as the Bangkok governor, leading to a chaotic cacophony of election posters screaming for attention all around Bangkok.
But despite the relative lack of media interest, the BMC election is hardly something voters should overlook. The Bangkok Metropolitan Council serves as the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration’s legislature. They are to the Bangkok governor what parliament is to the prime minister. The councilors play a key role in how Bangkok is run, and it’s worth taking some time to understand what they do so that you can make an informed choice on election day.
Ken Mathis Lohatepanont 
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