Pita apologises for “why do we need troops?” discourse in LA

Former Move Forward Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat held a “Pita US Tour” meet-up at Wat Thai of Los Angeles on January 8, 2026 (local California time) to encourage Thai citizens abroad to vote and take part in political processes affecting Thailand’s future. Former Future Forward Party party-list MP Kunthida Rungruengkiat also joined the discussion, according to event posts.

During the talk, Pita said conversations with Thais overseas in recent stops reflected concerns about returning to Thailand, including worries about whether meaningful work and personal ambitions could be pursued. The message to overseas voters was framed around what could change if Thailand had a government that looks after Thai citizens not only inside the country but across the global Thai community.

Pita argued that Thailand is still not attractive enough for many overseas Thais to return, and called for policies that draw on global Thai expertise to help develop the country—citing examples such as Thai professionals in California’s Bay Area working in high-tech fields and Thai workers in New York in “high-touch” industries.

Apology over past “why do we need troops?” discourse

Pita addressed criticism over the earlier “why do we need troops?” discourse used during the 2023 campaign period. The remarks were framed as regret for wording that failed to clearly distinguish between criticism of military roles in politics or non-core activities and respect for frontline personnel.

The apology specifically expressed respect for frontline soldiers, junior ranks and professional service members who make sacrifices to defend the country, while saying the earlier message was aimed at issues such as coups and misuse of the military—rather than combat troops.

Backing a “Thai Global Talent & Ideas” platform and overseas support

Pita said support remains for a People’s Party proposal to create a “Thai Global Talent & Ideas” platform to channel expertise from Thais worldwide into policy input that can connect directly to state agencies, compared to models such as talent pools used in other countries.

Other proposals raised in the discussion included:

• creating a dedicated, one-stop agency to support Thai citizens overseas;
• linking services through digital identity systems to reduce travel and paperwork burdens;
• improving overseas voting systems to be more convenient and transparent; and
• establishing a centralised emergency assistance system, described as “Thai SOS”, to coordinate incident reporting and follow-up.

Linking overseas participation to future reform

Questions from Thai residents in Los Angeles included constitutional amendment processes and the possibility of a new charter. The message presented was that stronger turnout and participation from Thai citizens abroad—both in elections and referendums—could contribute to better governance and open pathways for constitutional change, creating conditions that might eventually encourage more overseas Thais to return and invest skills back into Thailand.