The People’s Party, which bagged the highest number of MP seats in the 2023 general election in its previous incarnation as Move Forward Party but failed to form the government, has unveiled its slogan and key areas of focus for the 2026 election.
The party has named three prime minister candidates:
- Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut – the party leader and a former tech entrepreneur
- Sirikanya Tansakun – the party’s deputy leader, a former researcher, fiscal and budget expert
- Veerayooth Kanchoochat – a deputy leader, former associate professor of political economy at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies, Tokyo, Japan
Party slogan and vision
The People’s Party’s slogan for the 2026 election “Thailand Without Gray Areas, Equal Thailand, Thailand Catches Up with the World” covers a vast ground.
“Thailand Without Gray Areas” addresses corruption and the influence of illicit funds and illegal capital in politics, which lead to capture of the state. The party has pledged to work towards eliminating “gray” practices and restoring integrity and transparency in governance.
“Equal Thailand” aims to target the stark inequality in the country. The party is highlighting how a small group of wealthy individuals hold most assets while the majority have very little. Many people have insufficient income after retirement and are saddled with high household debt.
The party stresses the need for genuine equality under the law, ensuring all citizens—regardless of wealth or status—receive fair treatment and justice.
By focusing on “Thailand Catches Up with the World”, the party aims to lift Thailand out of prolonged economic stagnation and lagging growth compared to ASEAN neighbors, notably Vietnam.
Thai industries, especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), struggle against competition and the influx of cheap Chinese goods. The lack of innovative, digital-based industries is a major concern. The People’s Party has pledged economic reforms to help Thailand thrive and keep pace globally.
Key policy platforms
Military reform
The People’s Party calls for modernizing the Thai military by reviewing its involvement in businesses unrelated to defense, such as golf courses, hotels, horse racing, boxing, lottery ticket sales and TV operations.
The Army operates network providers MUX2 and MUX5, with Channel 5 managing these and generating over 1 billion baht in annual revenue. Despite this, Channel 5 consistently reports losses, while there is a lack of parliamentary scrutiny.
The party proposes ending Channel 5’s role, and transferring MUX2 and MUX5 operations to the Public Relations Department to channel revenue to the state treasury.
Digital TV frequencies should be returned to the public, with the 400–500 personnel reassigned to defense duties.
The party says it respects the military’s role in national security and supporting democracy, but opposes misuse of power, corruption, and human rights violations by certain officers.
State and bureaucracy reform
The party advocates reforming the bureaucracy that employs over 3 million people. There is duplication between central, regional, and local administrations.
The party pledges to overhaul the career promotion system—replacing seniority and connections with professional, performance-based criteria—to prevent brain drain and improve efficiency.
Increasing welfare spending
The People’s Party promises to expand welfare schemes for children, the disabled and the elderly.
They are proposing universal child support and increasing the allowance for the elderly. Starting October 2026, all senior citizens would receive 1,000 baht monthly (up from variable rates of 600–1,000 baht based on age), with plans to raise the allowance to 1,500 baht by 2030.
Tax reform
The party aims to broaden the personal income tax base by streamlining tax filing and raising the personal allowance from 60,000 baht to 100,000 baht.
Changes will be made to tax deductions for investment and retirement schemes. If economic growth improves, the party plans to increase the value-added tax (VAT) rate from 7 per cent to 8 per cent by 2028, with compensation measures for low-income groups affected by the VAT hike.
Tackling unfair business practices
The party has vowed to address economic damage from nominee and gray capital (illegitimate investors), which undermine fair competition. Current penalties are considered weak, and poor coordination among state agencies delays enforcement.
Protecting Thai industry and SMEs
Thailand’s trade deficit with China has risen from 1.3 trillion baht in 2023 to 1.6 trillion baht in 2024—up 25 per cent within a year.
Thai producers face high costs and risks from dumping and foreign government subsidies, as well as nominee-led price manipulation for money laundering.
The party has pledged to support local firms through various measures to address these challenges.
Liberalizing the energy sector
To address high electricity costs, the People’s Party proposes liberalizing the electricity market, allowing consumers and businesses to choose their suppliers, fostering competition, and helping lower prices.
The People’s Party’s 2026 platform centers on combating corruption, promoting equality and modernizing the economy. Their policies span military and state reform, expanded welfare, tax improvements, protection for domestic industries and energy market liberalization.
With candidates Natthaphong, Sirikanya, and Veerayooth at the helm, the party pledges to steer Thailand toward transparency, fairness, and global competitiveness.
