Newcomer Wiradech Phuphisit’s victory in Lamphun’s local election sent shock waves rippling through Thailand’s political establishment on February 1.
A candidate for the opposition People’s Party, the 37-year-old won the vote to become chief executive of the northern province’s Provincial Administrative Organisation, in a surprise victory over previous postholder Anusorn Wongwan of the ruling Pheu Thai Party.
Adding to the shock of Wiradech’s giant-killing act was his huge margin of victory, at just over 6,000 votes.
Anusorn, 73, is a former four-time MP for Lamphun who also served as culture minister, before switching to local politics. He was elected as Lamphun’s PAO chief in December 2020 and served until last December.
The Wongwan family is considered the most powerful political clan in Lamphun. Anusorn’s father, Narong, was a key figure in Thai politics in the 1980s and 1990s, serving in multiple Cabinets and almost becoming prime minister in 1992.
However, Wiradech’s family can also boast local political clout. His father, Prasert, is a former PAO chief of Lamphun and ex-president of its chamber of commerce. The family is believed to be well-connected in political and business circles of the northern province.
Beating a veteran
Wiradech was elected Lamphun’s new PAO chief with 109,372 votes compared to Anusorn’s 103,405. His victory marked a breakthrough for the People’s Party, after all 16 of its other PAO chief candidates failed to get elected.
The People’s Party won the popular vote at the 2023 general election but until now has failed to replicate that success in local politics, where powerful political clans often dominate.
Lamphun was not seen as a top target for the party, though some key party figures travelled all the way to the northern province to back Wiradech’s campaign. Still, political analysts were doubtful that the People’s Party could win in Lamphun.
“This is not just my victory; it’s a victory for Lamphun residents who are desperate for change. However, true success for me will be achieved by fulfilling all our campaign promises and meeting the people’s expectations,” Wiradech said in a victory post on Facebook.
People’s Party leader Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut said the Lamphun win would enable the party to demonstrate its ability to improve quality of life at the local level across the country.
Analysts attributed Wiradech’s victory to his years of hard work in local politics – but also to his party’s popularity and his father’s connections.
“His father’s network in Lamphun is still strong. Wiradech has worked in local politics since the days of the Future Forward Party,” said Stithorn Thananithichot, director of the Office of Innovation for Democracy at the King Prajadhipok's Institute.
Future Forward was the original incarnation of the People’s Party, which won the popular vote in the 2023 general election under its predecessor, Move Forward.
Orange to the core
Born in Lamphun in 1988, Wiradech earned a bachelor's degree in economics from Chiang Mai University.
He went into business, before joining the Future Forward Party shortly after its formation in March 2018. Then aged 30, Wiradech was one of the new party’s initial 7,000 members and among seven from his home province.
The seven from Lamphun also included Vitvisit Pansounprook, whose successful campaign to become a Move Forward MP for the northern province in 2023 was backed by the well-connected Wiradech.
After Future Forward was disbanded by court order in 2020, Wiradech transferred to its successor, Move Forward, becoming chief of the new outfit’s Lamphun office.
When Move Forward met the same fate as its predecessor last August, he switched to the latest incarnation of the “Orange” movement, named for the colours of all three parties.
Wiradech’s was nominated as a Lamphun PAO election candidate in July last year, just weeks before the Constitutional Court ruling that led to Move Forward’s disbandment. When the party was reborn as the People’s Party, it confirmed him as its candidate.
Following Wiradech’s election victory, a controversial episode from his father's past resurfaced in the media and was played up by critics and enemies of the People's Party.
While serving as Lamphun’s PAO chief in 2004, his father Prasert was linked to a corruption case involving a government longan price-subsidy scheme, with damages estimated at 195 million baht. Prasert denied the accusations.
