New Alternative Party flagged for possible policy violations
The Election Commission of Thailand (ECT) flagged concerns yesterday, February 3, about a political party’s delayed policy submissions and potentially unlawful campaign pledges ahead of the upcoming general election.
The EC disclosed that 51 parties had submitted policies requiring budget expenditure. However, it singled out one political group, the New Alternative Party, for failing to comply with mandatory reporting rules.
According to the commission, the party submitted an additional 32 policies after the official deadline. This violated the ECT’s 2025 regulation requiring political parties to report spending-related policies no less than 20 days before the national vote.
The commission further noted that some of the New Alternative Party’s policies presented to the public could breach the 2018 Organic Act on the Election of MPs and its 2023 amendment.
The policies may also conflict with the 2017 Organic Act on Political Parties, particularly Sections 73, 74, and 132, and Section 22 of their respective laws.
The New Alternative Party is led by Rachen Trakulwiang, with Mongkolkit Suksintharanon serving as party secretary-general and prime ministerial candidate, reported Workpoint TODAY.
Mongkolkit has previously drawn criticism online for his string of unconventional policy proposals.
In early January, Mongkolkit promoted one of his security policies on Facebook, stating that nuclear weapons cost around 640 million baht and that Thailand could acquire up to 10 of them if he were prime minister.
He argued that this would bolster the country’s military and economic strength, making other nations, particularly those in ASEAN, more cautious in their dealings with Thailand.
Even earlier in July last year, Mongkolkit urged the government to introduce legislation banning people under the age of 22 from having sex, as a means to reduce HIV cases.
The idea was widely mocked, and when asked about his own experience, Mongkolkit admitted to having had sex at 16, a revelation that only intensified public scepticism and online ridicule.
He has also floated other attention-grabbing ideas, such as daily push-up quotas of 100 for men and 40 for women, the creation of a space force with 3,000 personnel, and even the resurrection of dinosaurs.
Similarly, this past January, Thai political activist Ruangkrai Leekitwattana asked the ECT to investigate whether a campaign policy proposed by Mongkolkit Suksintharanon, suggesting women be allowed to have up to four husbands, violates Thailand’s election laws.
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