The People's Party apologizes for winning only one PAO chief election

Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut, leader of the People's Party, and Veeradech Phupisit, the winning candidate for the PAO chief in Lamphun, held a press conference on Sunday (February 2, 2025) to summarize the results of the PAO election after securing a victory in one province.

Natthaphong expressed his apologies to the public as the party leader, acknowledging that the campaign to encourage people to vote in local elections or for the PAO chief was not vigorous enough. As a result, the number of PAO chief victories was limited.

He also admitted to feeling regret over the missed opportunity in several other provinces, noting that if the party had done more to encourage voter turnout, they might have won in other PAO chief elections, including Chiang Mai, Nakhon Nayok, Samut Prakan, Trat, and Samut Songkhram, where they lost by less than 10%.

He stated that after the People's Party's victory in the PAO chief election in Lamphun, he wanted to communicate their plans for moving forward. He emphasized that the first 100 days in the first year of development for Lamphun would be immediately driven forward. This would include addressing issues like the origins of wildfires, recurring flooding, and improving the healthcare system with local data.

“We want to reaffirm that we are committed to working hard in local politics. Beyond the PAO level, we also have the municipal elections ahead. We are confident that Lamphun will be the first area where we prove to the public that our approach to local politics will improve the quality of life for Thai people across the country.”When asked about Thaksin Shinawatra’s remark on stage, "Red eats orange," and whether the election results reflected that phrase, leader of the People's Party responded that Lamphun is a key area where they would demonstrate their abilities. He stressed that quality work in local politics—working transparently, honestly, and presenting policies clearly to the people—was more important than throwing phrases back and forth or using the media for political drama.

Orange is the colour associated with the People's Party, while red is the colour of the Pheu Thai Party, with Thaksin Shinawatra as its real leader.

(2025/02/02-00:00)