UPDATE: 8:30pm Latest report from Matichon with unofficial results is Surachart Charnpradit of Puea Thai with 123,557 votes and Chart Thai Pattana's Sakulthip Angkasakulkiat with 75,420 votes. So far the victory margin is 47,000 votes.
UPDATE: 7:30pm ThaiPBS reports that Puea Thai is leading 100,000 + plus votes to 68,000 votes in the by-election
BP: The result is no longer in doubt as have heard Chat Thai Pattana executive (is he still deputy party leader?) Somsak is conceding defeat.
Commentary to come
UPDATE: 6:30pm Thai Rath has the unofficial numbers for 5 of the 9 districts in the Sri Saket by-election. Remember there are only two main candidates, Puea Thai and Chat Thai Pattana (who were supported by Bhum Jai Thai).
In อ.ยางชุมน้อย PT with 9,900 votes versus 5,900 for CTP
In อ.บึงบูรพ์ PT with 3,700 votes versus 1,300 for CTP
In อ.ศิลาลาด PT with 4,300 votes versus 1,900 votes for CTP
In อ.กันทรารมย์ with 60% counted it is PT with 13,600 votes versus 5,200 for CTP
In อ.โพธิ์ศรีสุวรรณ PT with 6,600 votes versus 3,100 for CTP
BP: Obviously, these are only tenative results so far with advance voting and the votes in the other 4 districts to come, but adding up the numbers so far gives PT 38,100 votes versus 17,400 for CTP.
Channel 3's Rueng Den Yen Nee reports that Puea Thai has declared victory in the by-election (after votes in 5 of the 9 districts were counted) - Chalerm is quoted directly. Chat Thai Pattana is also reported to have conceded defeat.
More to come
New: Plagiarizing plans
9 hours ago
Reports are that PTP have won handily again with an overwhelming margin.
It's got to be an even bigger blow to the coalition partners than last week. PTP, bolstered with support of the reds and Thaksin, appears to be on a charge after looking like they were in disarray a couple of months ago. Lends a lot of credence to the Reds statements that the majority of the electorate does not support the coalition government.
There has to be major strategy rethinks in the coalition. It might be time for some of the smaller groups to move to the opposition, not necessarily the PTP, and let the bigger coalition parties sink or swim on their own.