As candidates for Bangkok governor hide their jitters over the election outcome behind beaming smiles, their accompanying campaigners are having fun behind the scenes after long days and exhausting work.
A strong team of election campaigners for Bangkok governor hopeful Kosit Suvinitjit showed up on the first day of candidate registration late last month. The electioneering period is a golden time for young people to earn extra money and gain experience in local politics. APICHART JINAKUL
Groups of young women and men in bright colours relentlessly raise placards showing photos of their candidates as they follow their "bosses" everywhere.
No matter what the candidates do in their electioneering - from door-to-door greetings to cleaning the streets to caring for city folk in front of the omnipresent media cameras - these energetic campaigners are always there to lighten up the mood.
Joining the team of an election candidate is, for these youngsters, a quick way to earn money. Yet, after spending day after day helping to make their bosses known to the public, many have found that the real gain for them is the rare chance to get close to politicians or business people whom they usually see only on TV.
Most of these young women and men describe the experience as "fun and invaluable".
Chanunchida Penchop, a 25-year-old communication arts graduate from Dhurakit Pundit University, said she finds her time while working with the Democrats' MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra enjoyable, no matter if it is just ordinary public relations work or whether it is the elation of being next to someone who is like a movie star.
Chanunchida Penchop, a campaigner for MR Sukhumbhand.
"It's like I am walking with a superstar all the time," Ms Chanunchida said, referring to MR Sukhumbhand whom she knew in the past only from TV and newspapers.
"If Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva and his deputy Apirak Kosayothin come to help MR Sukhumbhand seek votes, I almost cannot refrain from screaming at the sight of them," said Ms Chanunchida, who describes herself as a staunch supporter of the Democrat Party.
Mr Abhisit and Mr Apirak are known as lor yai (big handsome guy) and lor lek (small handsome guy) because of their good looks.
As an election campaigner, Ms Chanunchida said, she is aware that she has to rein in her excitement at meeting the two Democrat heavyweights. She has to keep on doing her job as best she can, which is to introduce MR Sukhumbhand to passers-by. Her job is to hand out his policy brochure and raise his campaign placard.
Each campaigner is paid 400 baht a day, she said. They are also given three meals and a van transport service between the party's headquarters and the areas where MR Sukhumbhand plans to meet residents of the capital.
"We just keep following Khun Chai [a polite term for MR Sukhumbhand's royal rank of Mom Ratchawong] from early morning until evening and sometimes at night," Ms Chanunchida said.
"I'm tired, but it's fun at work."
Ms Chanunchida's colleagues also like their jobs. Some have even developed a keener interest in politics after days of tailing MR Sukhumbhand.
Among them is Sirichai Thongvibool who said he already keeps up with political news but this work gives him first-hand experience of how a politician works and uses his election campaigns to trump his rivals.
Sirichai Thongvibool, an MR Sukhumbhand campaigner.
"Now I'm even more interested in politics. If I have a chance in the future, I may go into the political arena myself," said the 23-year-old graduate from Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University.
Election campaigners for other candidates share similar views, especially their first impression of working with well-known people.
Saowalak Munwaja, a senior student of Kasem Bundit University, works for independent candidate Kosit Suvinitjit. She views her experience with Mr Kosit as extracurricular business study.
"Many times during breaks, Mr Kosit will have a meal with us. He will teach us and tell us his business management experience. He's very good to us, especially his teaching which really benefits my business administration studies," said Ms Saowalak, 23.
Mr Kosit, candidate No.10, is a successful businessman in the media field. He is a former executive of a media firm, Spring Corporation.
Personally, Ms Saowalak said, she does not like national politics because she is bored with the never-ending quarrels among politicians. So far, she has only engaged in politics by watching or reading it in the news sometimes.
For her work as a campaigner, "I only introduce Mr Kosit and tell people about what Mr Kosit is thinking", she said. "But I never demand or tell them to vote for No.10."
It is better to let them decide by themselves, Ms Saowalak said.
With still three weeks to go until election day on March 3, the candidates have virtually no idea whether their two months of electioneering will be successful. But for the young campaigners, they already know that their efforts to help the candidates to garner votes will bear fruit.
Saowalak Munwaja, a Kosit campaigner.