People’s Party confirmed legal despite petition threat

The People’s Party (PP), emerging from the recently disbanded Move Forward Party (MFP), has been confirmed by the Election Commission (EC) as having established the necessary party branches legally.

The announcement followed a statement by Warong Dechgitvigrom, leader of the Thai Pakdee Party, who indicated his intention to file a petition against the PP. His contention revolves around the predecessor, Thin Kakao Chaovilai, allegedly failing to register the required number of party branches.

Members of the MFP took control of Thin Kakao Chaovilai after the Constitutional Court dissolved their party last Wednesday, August 7, for allegedly undermining the constitutional monarchy. The rebranded party, now known as People’s Party, was formally launched on Friday.

Warong claimed that Thin Kakao Chaovilai had only registered two branches in the north and one in the Central Plains region, with no branches in the south or northeast. According to legal requirements, a political party must maintain at least one branch in each of the four regions for a consecutive period of one year to remain legally valid.

EC Secretary-General Sawaeng Boonmee clarified that Thin Kakao Chaovilai had indeed registered all party branches as required by law, and the EC had completed its enquiry.

“Officials are sent to observe the proceedings when a party branch is set up. After the meeting to register a party branch is concluded, the establishment of the branch is considered complete and legally binding.”

Party registrar

Sawaeng further noted that the process must be reported to the political party registrar, who ensures compliance with the law.

Sawaeng mentioned that while the establishment of the party branches is complete, it has not been officially acknowledged, and the EC’s database has yet to be updated.

The PP is in the process of establishing a branch in Phitsanulok, which will field a candidate for an upcoming by-election. This election is necessary to replace former deputy House speaker Padipat Santipada, who was banned from politics following the dissolution of the MFP.

Phakhaon Noon-anant, a PP list-MP, asserted that the party now has branches in every region and urged Warong to verify his information before threatening legal action.

She challenged Warong, a former MP for Phitsanulok, to contest the by-election to gauge voter support.

Meanwhile, Warong posted on Facebook, stating his intention to proceed with the petition and submit it to the EC tomorrow.

“We’re not talking about now. The EC must examine if the Thin Kakao Chaovilai Party had those branches in every region [for at least one year] by the time it was taken over.”