Power Structure and Politics of Elections of Council Members and Mayors in Chonburi Province in 2021

Abstract

The main objectives of this study were as follows: 1. To study the political overview of the election of municipal council members and mayor in Chonburi Province. 2. To study the relationship of the local power structure and the politics of the election of municipal council members and mayors in Chonburi Province. It is interdisciplinary qualitative research. by applying studies in political science and political sociology. Data were collected from fieldwork through observation and in-depth interviews. The results of the study can be summarized according to the objectives as follows: 1. With political overview of election for municipal council members and mayor, there was widespread attentiveness among local residents and candidates for both the city council and the mayor, candidates who have power network of local political groups, new generation and a group of women with political interests.  2. This election showed the relationship with the local power structure under the three political power poles and the intense competition especially municipalities, the important political strategic areas, where each power pole wanted to occupy as their own political base under the changing local power structure of Chonburi Province from the original structure of a single-pole political power to three political power poles, 1. Ban Yai Bangsaen group 2. The new force group, and 3. Change Chonburi, so behind the election of municipal council members and mayor was the politics of power struggle in political field of powers that wanted to expand their power base, to establish local political power and to maintain the group’s power base.