People’s Party campaigns in Phitsanulok to keep seat in by-election

The People’s Party leader on Tuesday led a party candidate to meet voters in Phitsanulok’s Constituency 1 in a bid to retain its House seat there.

Party leader Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut and former Phitsanulok MP Padipat Suntiphada introduced Natachanon Chanaburanasak to the constituents as the party’s candidate for the upcoming by-election.

The Election Commission announced on Monday that the by-election will be held on September 15 and candidates have between Wednesday and Sunday to register their candidacy.

This by-election is necessary as Padipat was among the executives of the now-defunct Move Forward Party executives banned from politics by the Constitutional Court. The court dissolved the reformist party for allegedly trying to overthrow the monarchy by planning to amend the draconian lese majeste law.

After the party’s dissolution, its remaining 143 MPs joined the micro Thinkakhao Party and renamed it People’s Party.

Before his ban on August 7, Padipat had been expelled from Move Forward so he could retain his post as deputy House speaker, while party leader Chaithawat Tulathon could also be opposition leader.

Now that Padipat has no political post, he has returned to help his former party colleagues campaign for the by-election.

Before visiting the constituency, Natthaphong and Padipat took Natachanon to pay respects at Wat Phra Sri Rattana Mahathat in Phitsanulok, before walking around in local communities to introduce the candidate to locals.

They then rode around Muang district on the back of a truck to announce the party’s intention to compete in the by-election.

The party leader and Natachanon later met business operators in Muang district to discuss business issues and to hear proposals for the development of Muang district.

Later in the evening, all three met voters to seek their support and to inform them of the party’s plans for its political fight.

Natachanon told supporters that the People’s Party could not afford to lose the by-election because a qualified MP had been banned from politics. He said the party’s victory in the by-election would prove that the people will not tolerate unfair treatment and will always rise up to fight.

Natthaphong said the People’s Party will also contest in local elections to win as many provincial administrative organisations’ CEO posts as possible to prepare for the main battle at the 2027 general election.