BANGKOK: Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut (pic), leader of the People’s Party, has formally assumed the role of Leader of the Opposition in the House of Representatives, pledging to scrutinise Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul’s government while pushing for constitutional reform.
A ceremony to receive the Royal Command appointing him as opposition leader was held at 9am on Thursday in Room B1 of Parliament House, with Natthaphong in attendance.
The Royal Gazette published the announcement on Thursday (May 14), stating that Anutin and his Cabinet had assumed office and delivered their policy statement to Parliament on April 9–10, 2026.
The announcement said Natthaphong leads the political party with the largest number of MPs in the House whose members do not hold Cabinet posts, nor the positions of House Speaker or Deputy House Speaker.
By virtue of Section 106 of the Constitution, His Majesty the King appointed Natthaphong as Leader of the Opposition, effective immediately. The announcement was dated May 8, 2026, and countersigned by House Speaker Sophon Saram.
Speaking after the ceremony, Natthaphong thanked fellow MPs and parliamentary officials who attended the event.
In his capacity as opposition leader, he pledged to carry out his duties with a sense of responsibility as an elected representative and as a representative of the people.
He said he would offer recommendations and scrutinise the executive branch in a straightforward manner, with the public interest as the overriding priority.
Natthaphong also pledged to perform his role in selection committees for independent organisations free from domination or interference by any particular group.
Natthaphong said he would move quickly to appoint the opposition whip coordination committee so that Parliament’s mechanisms would be complete.
He also expressed hope that MPs, as representatives of the Thai people, and Parliament, as the institution representing the country’s highest sovereign authority, would press ahead with drafting a new constitution in line with the public will expressed in the February 8, 2026 referendum.
Asked whether the People’s Party would submit a new charter amendment draft after the government failed to confirm the previous version, Natthaphong said the fastest thing the government could do was to show sincerity.
However, he said the 60-day deadline had already passed, meaning MPs — especially the People’s Party — would initiate the process themselves and push it forward as quickly as possible.
Asked whether the opposition would raise constitutional amendment during the next joint parliamentary sitting, Natthaphong said the appointment of the opposition whip should first be completed. He added that the process would be accelerated so the matter could be submitted to Parliament as soon as possible.
Natthaphong said several bills were scheduled for the next sitting, but the government had not returned a number of them for consideration.
He said the opposition would likely use the session to question the government over why several bills had been rejected and not brought back.
Asked whether the new charter amendment draft would be revised, Natthaphong said the details would be discussed later, adding that he did not wish to answer the question on the day of the Royal Command ceremony.
Known by his nickname “Teng”, Natthaphong has built a political image as a data-driven organiser rather than a traditional rally-stage figure.
Before entering politics, he studied computer engineering at Chulalongkorn University and worked in the cloud-solutions sector. His political career began with the Future Forward Party, under which he was elected Bangkok MP in 2019.
He later moved to Move Forward after Future Forward was dissolved, before joining the People’s Party after Move Forward was dissolved in 2024.
His appointment formalises the People’s Party’s role as the main opposition force opposite Anutin’s Bhumjaithai-led government, setting the stage for sharper parliamentary scrutiny and a renewed push for charter reform. - The Nation/ANN
