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Executive Summary

The local election for the Provincial Administrative Organization (PAO) Chief Executives
and Councilors on December 20, 2020, was considerably significant for the studies of political

changes and behaviors of the people at the local level, especially when we think of this election
as a sequel of the general election on March 24, 2019. During the Chiang Mai PAO election, there
were 6 candidates for the PAO Chief Executive position—a direct election for the local
administrative organization (LAO) leader—and 42 candidates for the PAO Councilor positions

representing 42 voting districts in Chiang Mai’s 25 administrative districts. For the provincial area
of Chiang Mai, when considering the aspect of socioeconomic growth, we will see the growth of
population, including the locals, the immigrants, and the unregistered population who have
increasingly moved into Chiang Mai. Consequently, there has been the expansion of the economic

and education sectors, as well as the diversity of political, economic, and social interest groups.
Importantly, Chiang Mai is the province where political movements have continuously persisted.
As a political space involving such movements, political parties, and leaders, Chiang Mai could

serve as a representative unit for those wishing to understand the politics of the upper north of
Thailand. The Chiang Mai PAO election on December 20, 2020 was a local election after the long
8 years without an election since the last PAO voting on June 23, 2012. Therefore, it is obvious
that this 2020 Chiang Mai PAO election is significant not only for research studies but also for the
political parties and groups in order for them to be prepared and develop guidelines for the other

levels of the LAO election, either the municipality level or the Subdistrict Administrative
Organization (SAO) level.

Therefore, the research study entitled “The Election for the Chiang Mai Provincial
Administrative Organization Chief Executive and Councilors B.E. 2563 (2020)” has the objectives
as follows:

1. To study and understand the data and statistics on the Chiang Mai PAO election, as
well as the political atmosphere of the election for the Chiang Mai PAO Chief Executive
and Councilors

2. To examine the forms and methods of electoral campaign and the political behaviors
of the candidates for the Chiang Mai PAO Chief Executive and Councilor positions
3. To study the political opinions and behaviors of the qualified voters in Chiang Mai, as
well as the factors affecting their voting decisions

4. To examine the crucial problems and issues affecting the administration of the election
for the Chiang Mai PAO Chief Executive and Councilors.

จ
โครงการศึกษาการเลือกตั้งระดับท้องถิ่น ปี 2563: การเลือกตั้งสมาชิกสภาองค์การบริหารส่วนจังหวัดและนายกองค์การบริหารส่วนจังหวัดเชียงใหม่