Thanyaburi residents still support road-rage politician’s team in local election

Several residents of Tambon Thanyaburi, located in Pathum Thani’s Thanyaburi district, have said they will continue to support the team of a young politician allegedly involved in a road rage incident that injured an elderly couple on 16 April.

The voters were referring to the Thanyaburi Progressive Team, led by Samittipat Leenavarat, son of former Tambon Thanyaburi Municipality Mayor Krissada Leenavarat.

The team is contesting the mayoral seat and six council seats in the upcoming municipal election. Samittipat is standing as one of the six council candidates, while Krissada has nominated his wife, Yupayao Leenavarat, to run for mayor.

Road Rage Incident Draws Online Attention

On 16 April, video clips widely shared on Thai social media showed Samittipat driving his BMW on an expressway, allegedly chasing and blocking a pickup truck. The truck was forced to stop, rear-ended the BMW, and crashed into a concrete wall—resulting in injuries to the elderly driver and his wife.

Samittipat later explained that he did not intend to cause harm. He said he only wanted the pickup driver to stop after the vehicle had blocked his path, causing his BMW to graze the concrete barrier and sustain minor damage.

Local Voters Unfazed by Controversy

Despite the controversy, many local residents said the incident would not affect their decision at the ballot box.

Sakchai, 68, a motorcyclist, said he would still vote for the Thanyaburi Progressive Team because of the good work done by Krissada during his term as mayor.

“Let the incident be handled according to the law. Krissada took care of us very well, especially when it comes to infrastructure,” Sakchai said.

Jiab, 60, a street food vendor, also voiced her support. She described Samittipat as “normally a nice young man” and said the incident was simply “a moment of youthful rage.”

“His parents have taken great care of the local people, so I will definitely vote for the team,” Jiab said.

“What happened has nothing to do with the local election or how they look after us. The young man will have to face the consequences himself.”
She added:

“I believe Thanyaburi people will still support Krissada’s team.”