Electoral song and dance too hot for Bangkok

Businesswoman Leena Jangjanya (C) poses with her supporters during an election campaign for Bangkok governor in this file photo. Jangjanya has been kicked out of the city hall race because her troupe of scantily clad female supporters broke election rules by being too raunchy.

BANGKOK (Reuters) - A wannabe Bangkok governor has been kicked out of the city hall race because her troupe of scantily clad female supporters broke election rules by being too raunchy.


The Bangkok Post said on Wednesday that Leena Jangjanya, a rank outsider who promised voters cut-price bus fares, had caught the attention of Thailand's Election Commission over an August 18 parade featuring women "dressed in an extraordinary fashion".


Such displays of "boisterousness with intent to woo voters" were in breach of both electoral and constitutional laws, the English-language newspaper said.


Leena, one of 15 candidates, appealed against the red card and insisted the lissom beauties strutting their stuff had only given the impression of dancing because the pick-up truck on which they were riding was wobbling.


Leena, who kicked off her campaign flanked by a pair of transvestite showgirls, was one of several colourful candidates vying for the top job in the sprawling Thai capital.


Former massage parlour tycoon Chuvit Kamolvisit, campaigning on a platform of better rights for workers in Bangkok's rampant flesh trade, remains well in the hunt.


Thai law forbids publishing candidates' names in polls, forcing newspapers to adopt elaborate shorthands for the participants in the August 29 poll.


At the latest reckoning, in Monday's edition of The Nation, the "pretty-faced politician" was heading the field, ahead of the "renowned social activist". Behind these two came the "leisure tycoon" and the "loving father".