The Move Forward Party (MFP) revealed its last potential election candidate for Bangkok yesterday, as it continues to work towards securing a landslide win in the capital in the upcoming polls.
At a press conference yesterday, MFP deputy party leader, Pijarn Chaopattanawong, and MFP’s election director for Bangkok, Theerajchai Panthumas, announced Supanat Minchaiynunt as the party’s final potential candidate in Bangkok.
Mr Pijarn said the party decided to announce its list of potential candidates for the capital despite the Election Commission having yet to finish redrawing the boundaries of Bangkok constituencies to show that the party is ready to compete in the election.
This is because the MFP doesn’t rely on political patronage to steer its decisions, he said.
Observers have noted that the MFP owes some of its electoral success to its efforts to drum up support via social media, where the party commands a large following.
Mr Pijarn said despite the party being in the opposition, it has pushed for several laws to be enacted and kept the government in check.
He said he was confident voters would rally behind the party in Bangkok and give the party the much-needed boost to win the next election.
Mr Supanat, meanwhile, said the next poll would be a crucial turning point, where people have the power to decide whether or not they want the “Three Por” generals to continue their rule, referring to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon and Interior Minister Anupong Paojinda.
Rangsiman Rome, an MFP list MP, said the party’s key figures had campaigned hard in the northeastern provinces of Roi Et, Khon Kaen and Udon Thani, where they were well-received by supporters.
Also campaigning for the party are former co-founders of the now-defunct Future Forward Party (FFP) — Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, Piyabutr Saengkanokkul and Pannika Wanich.
The Constitutional Court dissolved the FFP over a loan it obtained from Mr Thanathorn, who was then party leader. The trio, along with a number of FFP executives were also banned from politics. From the ashes of the FFP rose the MFP, with Pita Limjaroenrat as its leader.
This week, the MFP will head South, with campaign stops in Nakhon Si Thammarat, Krabi and Phuket.