People's Party unveils four deputy PM candidates, urges MPs to fight for the upcoming election

On Thursday, December 18, the People's Party (PPLE) launched its candidates for the upcoming general election, including both constituency and party-list MPs. Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut, the party leader, emphasised the significance of the February 8, 2026 election, highlighting that for the first time in 15 years, the people's votes would directly determine the government, without interference from the Senate in the selection of the Prime Minister.

"This upcoming election is crucial because it will mark a turning point where the people's voice will decide whether we continue with corruption or work towards a more transparent country," said Natthaphong. "Over the past two and a half years, we've worked seriously on politics. This election on February 8 is about the people, and we will be their voice."

The party leader reiterated that the election would decide Thailand's future, with the goal of creating a "people's government" that would take the country further than before. "Even though we haven't been in government, we’ve been working hard to solve national issues."

Natthaphong also introduced the four deputy prime minister candidates, with the full team to be announced in mid-January 2026. The four candidates are:

1. Picharn Chaowapatanawong, former MP, in charge of democracy and national security reforms.
2. Decharut Sukkumnoed, Director of the Think Forward Centre and former advisor to the Leader of the Opposition, overseeing new quality of life initiatives.
3. Weerayut Kanchanachuchat, Prime Minister candidate, in charge of economic reforms.
4. Sirikanya Tansakun, former party-list MP and Prime Minister candidate, overseeing public administration reform.

Natthaphong stated that each deputy PM would not be in charge of a specific ministry. Instead, the party's organisational structure was designed with the nation’s needs in mind, focusing on public-driven governance, not political deal-making. "If we become the government, our structure will address the people’s needs effectively. One of the issues with the current bureaucracy is the siloed ministry system, which is why we've designed a management structure with four deputy PMs overseeing the four key areas."

"We are more prepared than ever. We have the people's representatives here today, and I believe that the 500 people in this room will remain steadfast in our principles and methods, with clear communication of our policies. I have full confidence in our team, from campaign assistants to executives, as role models who will set the right example," said Natthaphong.

Sirikanya Tansakun, former party-list MP and Prime Minister candidate, stated that assigning individuals to work on policies from the outset ensures that the implementation of those policies is more realistic and faster. She emphasized that the entire team must collaborate, as many of the challenges facing the country cannot be solved by any one ministry alone.

When asked if the 250 seats are enough, Sirikanya replied that she would prefer to have a bit more for assurance, though she understands that it is an ambitious target and they will strive to achieve it.

Regarding the potential political issues surrounding 25 PPLE MPs currently under investigation by the NACC in connection with the proposed amendment to Section 112 of the Criminal Code, Sirikanya explained that this is part of their preparation for any risks that may arise. If an incident occurs, MPs who were formerly constituency MPs may have to shift to the party-list system, and in such cases, resignations or rank adjustments could happen. She noted that they are working to mitigate all possible risks, but that does not mean they are not confident in their innocence. "We are fully confident that we can still fight these charges, but we also know that things in this country are rarely straightforward."