Thanathorn urges public to complete Siam Revolution mission in our generation

On Friday (February 6), at the Thai-Japanese Sports Centre in Din Daeng, Bangkok, the People’s Party held its final large rally, with the campaign slogan “Change,” gathering numerous supporters to the stage.

Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, leader of the Progressive Movement and campaign assistant for the People’s Party, addressed the crowd, reflecting on the 8 years since the establishment of the Future Forward Party in June 2018. 

He noted that at that time, Thai society was in darkness, with the people's freedoms restricted, political distrust widespread, and a general disillusionment with democracy.

Thanathorn continued, stating that in 2018, they called for a return to political engagement, emphasizing that politics affects everyone—from the quality of the roads in front of your house to the quality of your children’s education. 

He urged people to care about governance, budgeting, and decisions on natural resources, stressing that everyone should pay attention to politics and not reject it.

Pushing the 100-year Siam Revolution mission

He went on to explain that the orange faction has consistently called for an end to the power consolidation of those who seized control through the 2014 coup and for the establishment of a strong democracy based on the sovereignty of the people.

Thanathorn reminded the crowd that in 6 years, Thailand will mark 100 years since the 1932 Siamese Revolution and called on the public to ensure that the mission is completed within their generation.

He explained that on that day, they emphasized the need to build a new society with a political party guided by ideology, not self-interest or the pursuit of fame and fortune. Important positions should be filled based on knowledge, competence, and suitability, rather than regional or familial ties. 

This new political party must not engage in vote-buying or corruption but should work diligently, grounded in its ideals, to earn the trust of the people. He also stated that the battle for ideas is more important than winning votes, as success in the battle of ideas would naturally lead to electoral success.

Orange faction growth and social change

Thanathorn highlighted the progress made over the last 8 years. The orange faction, which once had 60,000 members, now boasts 112,000 members. Financially, the People’s Party has also grown, receiving 96 million baht in funding, up from the 12 million baht the Future Forward Party had received previously.

We have passed 8 years, and today we have reignited people's interest in politics. Today, we have restored confidence in the parliament. We have made people long for democracy. We have successfully built a new political party. We have planted the flag of progressive thought in society. We have successfully invited the public to join us, he explained.

And now, with only 2 days left until the third election, we have shown that change is possible and real. We have demonstrated that over the past 8 years, there has been change both in quality and quantity.

Pledge to the people

As the election approaches, Thanathorn said that in two days, the pen of each voter would decide the future of Thailand. He reminded the crowd of their symbol, which has remained unchanged despite the party's past dissolutions, new formations, and rebirths.

From Future Forward to Move Forward, and now the People's Party, their symbol—the upside-down triangle—represents the inversion of the traditional social structure, where the rich and powerful are at the top, and the majority of the people are at the bottom. 

With the upside-down triangle, he emphasized that those in power must be at the bottom, and the people must be at the top, declaring, "The master is the people."

"In two days, we will choose between two futures for Thailand: to live in fear or to live in hope, to live in the past or to live in the future. Today, the seed of thought has grown and bloomed. I invite everyone, on February 8, just two days from now, to support us," Thanathorn concluded.