Natthaphong urges PM on charter reform, warns against case meddling
Natthaphong Rueangpanyawut, the opposition leader, vowed to carry out full scrutiny and checks on the government while also pushing forward legislation that benefits the people.
- Opposition leader Natthaphong Rueangpanyawut urged the Prime Minister to prioritize drafting a new constitution, calling it a national mission to end Thailand's cycle of military coups and political instability.
- He warned against the government using the Constitutional Court and other independent agencies as "political weapons," urging respect for the rule of law to combat political interference.
- Natthaphong argued that this political dysfunction is the root cause of Thailand's lagging economic growth, low corruption perception index, and declining quality of life for its citizens.
- He reminded the PM that his party's support was conditional on an agreement for charter reform and that the opposition will monitor the government to prevent corruption and misuse of power.
Natthaphong Rueangpanyawut, list-MP and leader of the People’s Party (PP), in his role as leader of the opposition, opened the debate on Monday (September 29 2025) after Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul delivered his policy statement to parliament.
Natthaphong said the first four months of the new government also mark a critical milestone for the opposition, which intends to press ahead with what he described as a national mission: drafting a new constitution.
“No generation of Thais has ever lived under a stable, full democracy. Every era has been scarred by repeated coups. It is time to end this vicious cycle and deliver a charter that truly reflects the people’s will,” he said.
He recalled that Thais born in the 1950s saw the country boom economically while enduring six coups, while his own generation lived through the 1991, 2006 and 2014 military takeovers. “Even in the past two years, Thailand has had three prime ministers. That fact alone shows how weak and unstable our political structure is,” he noted.
Natthaphong criticised the political system for using the Constitutional Court and independent agencies as political weapons instead of watchdogs, pointing out that Thailand’s Corruption Perceptions Index has fallen to its lowest level in 12 years, just 34 points, ranking 107th of 180 countries.
He linked this political dysfunction to worsening quality of life: farmers crushed by debt, citizens choked annually by PM2.5 pollution, and students scoring poorly compared with ASEAN peers.
Meanwhile, Thai GDP has consistently lagged behind global and regional averages since 2006, with the economy shrinking 6.05% in 2020 during COVID-19 and rebounding by only 1.55% in 2021, compared with 6.4% global growth.
“This is no coincidence; Thailand has never grown on its own strength, only from external tailwinds. Now the global winds have shifted against us, and we are fully exposed. Unless we overhaul our political engine, the Thai economy will remain stuck in the mud while the world races ahead,” he said.
Natthaphong stressed that the People’s Party supported Anutin as prime minister under a memorandum of agreement (MOA) aimed at opening the door to charter reform, not as a blank cheque for power. He outlined four opposition priorities for the coming four months:
- Push for a new constitution by amending Chapter 15/1 before parliament is dissolved.
- Advance laws that benefit the public, including the Clean Air Act and other socio-economic legislation.
- Ensure the government addresses urgent issues such as economic hardship, quality of life, national security, and cross-border crime.
- Monitor the government closely, ensuring opposition votes are not misused to legitimise corrupt appointments or political interference.
“Our vote was cast to open the door to a new future, not to shut it and trap future generations in the same vicious cycle,” Natthaphong said. He urged the prime minister to respect not only the agreement with the People’s Party, but also the rule of law and the sovereignty of the Thai people as the ultimate holders of power.
