People's Party Marks 2nd Anniversary, Reiterates Mission: Win Elections, Return Power to the People

The "People's Party" (Phak Prachachon) in Thailand has marked its second anniversary. Party leader Natthaphong Ruangpanawut (list-MP) reiterated the party's original mission of winning elections, transforming the country, and returning power to the people through a Facebook post. The People's Party was established on August 9, 2022, inheriting the political mission and ideology of the Future Forward Party, which was dissolved in 2020. Natthaphong traced the journey back to August 7, 2016, when the 2017 constitution, approved by referendum, incorporated mechanisms from the 2014 coup by the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) to facilitate the ruling elite's power succession. He recalled the birth of the Future Forward Party in 2018 with a simple yet crucial goal: a future where supreme power rests with the people. Despite the dissolution of Future Forward and the subsequent end of the Move Forward Party's journey, the commitment to changing the country through democratic processes and returning supreme power to the people remained steadfast. In the 2023 general election, the Move Forward Party demonstrated that victory was achievable even under an unfair system. Although the people's votes did not translate into government power, the party's mission continued. As the opposition, they have been conducting rigorous scrutiny and pushing for significant legislation. Now entering its third year, the People's Party has not been in government, and the results of the 2025 election may not have met expectations. However, these factors have not altered their goals. Winning elections and using state power to change the country remain key objectives. In the interim, they will utilize every space, authority, and opportunity granted by the people to drive beneficial changes. Natthaphong pointed out that in an era where the coup-makers have lost power, the mechanisms embedded in the 2017 constitution have become tools for certain political groups, leading to what is termed the "blue regime." This phenomenon has shaken the rule of law and the justice system, presenting new challenges that require collective solutions: how to prevent state failure and how to elevate national capabilities. Beyond domestic political challenges, he also addressed significant global geopolitical shifts, emphasizing the need to design strategies for dealing with major powers and how to forge agreements that maximize Thailand's benefits. The crucial question for Thai politics today is not merely about agreeing or disagreeing with specific individuals or methods, but about the direction the country should take and the future vision it should embrace. It's a choice between politics reliant on power networks and patronage systems versus politics that believes supreme power must return to the people. "This is not just a political question we must answer, but a question we must pose to our parents, brothers, and sisters, the people: What methods will keep the country in the same place, and what methods will create hope for a better future for Thailand?" he asked. Recalling his statement during the early 2025 election campaign – "We will change the future into a better new future for the people, building a progressive and advanced Thailand together" – he affirmed that the literal meaning remains the same. Regardless of name changes, the goal persists. He concluded by thanking all citizens who have placed their trust and walked alongside them. In its third year, he pledged that he and the People's Party will continue to work with unwavering determination, upholding their ideals, political will, and the trust bestowed by the people to build a stable democracy and make the realization of supreme power for the people a reality.