The reformist party that won Thailand’s last election is seeking a comeback by targeting populist and conservative strongholds ahead of an expected vote, even as its pact to back rival Anutin Charnvirakul for prime minister risks eroding support.
The year-old People’s Party is targeting 20 million votes – half the popular vote – in an election likely in early 2026, its leader Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut (pic) said. That would secure a majority in the 500-member House of Representatives.
The target exceeds the 14 million votes that propelled predecessor Move Forward to a surprise 2023 victory before being blocked by Anutin’s Bhumjaithai and the military-appointed Senate.
Move Forward, backed by younger urban voters seeking democratic reforms, was dissolved last year by the Constitutional Court for trying to amend Thailand’s royal defamation law – a ruling that bars the People’s Party from campaigning on that issue.
The People’s Party plans to field candidates in all 400 constituencies but focus on 100 seats in the rural northeast where Move Forward placed second in 2023, challenging Pheu Thai, led by Thaksin Shinawatra and Bhumjaithai.
In the south, a conservative stronghold, it aims to add 30 seats.
“The challenge is we’ll be fighting an old political system with local power networks,” Natthaphong, a former tech entrepreneur, said in an interview in Bangkok.
“We need to prioritise winning more constituency seats as we size up, as we’ll likely only gain 10 more party seats from the popular votes.”
In a first for Thai politics, the party plans to unveil a Cabinet line-up before the vote.
Its picks – technocrats, academics and business leaders alongside party members – would signal transparency and broaden appeal as it focuses on economic and livelihood issues, Natthaphong said.
A strong showing could put the party at risk of disbandment, as happened to Move Forward.
To avoid that misstep, Natthaphong will be named the top candidate, while the search is on for one or two more nominees. They may be from inside the party or outside, he said.
“What will guarantee us the ability to truly carry out the national agenda we have committed to is the need for a government with very strong legitimacy,” he said. “No candidate will be merely a figurehead or backup.”
Since its launch in late 2024, the People’s Party has led opinion polls, with Natthaphong the top choice for premier.
But its decision to back Anutin as prime minister of a minority government may dent its popularity.
Some said the party shouldn’t have lent conditional support as an opposition party, but Natthaphong argued the move was needed to break the deadlock after Paetongtarn’s ouster and secure an early election. — Bloomberg
