Transgender Yollada ''Nok'' Suanyos beat male opponents to win a seat as councillor on the Nan provincial administration organisation in an election on Sunday.
Yollada: To push women’s rights
Ms Yollada, 30, received 3,808 votes, edging out former Nan mayor Phawat Sattayawong, who came second with 3,659 votes in Constituency 1 of tambon Nai Wiang in Muang district, according to unofficial election results for the 24 PAO council seats.
Ms Yollada, who had a sex-change operation at 16, said yesterday her position on the PAO council will help her work better with the government in solving problems regarding the rights of women and trans-female groups.
Viewing herself as a ''new wave'' in politics, Ms Yollada, also the president of the Trans Female Association of Thailand, said her work would receive more support, especially from transgenders.
The election on Sunday was mainly a race between two groups _ those who support incumbent PAO head Narin Laoaraya, and independent candidates wanting seats on the council to monitor PAO administrators.
