Democrats Pick Anucha Burpachaisri as Bangkok Governor Candidate, Unveiling Vision Tomorrow Afternoon

The Democratic Party's candidate selection committee has finalized its choice for Bangkok governor candidate following the debut of potential candidates at the AI Demo Day event promoting digital economy advancement through AI on May 12. The selected candidate is Anucha Burpachaisri, a former Bangkok MP from the Democratic Party and former list candidate for Bhumjaithai Party, from which he has since resigned.

Dr. Pichai Rukprecha, or Dr. Aung, executive advisor for LINE Plus and former CEO of LINE Thailand and Google Thailand, as well as former spokesperson for Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, was initially considered. However, speculation arose that Pichai would be the candidate due to his qualifications matching what party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva and deputy leader Sakoltee Pattiyakul had outlined: experience in politics, under 60 years old, capable of working with the government, and knowledgeable in IT.

Ultimately, the Democratic Party selected Anucha because Pichai cannot run due to contractual restrictions with LINE, despite the party's attempts to recruit him since the February parliamentary elections. The party also approached several other potential candidates to challenge incumbent governor Chadchart Sittipunt, but faced rejections due to concerns about the difficulty of competing against him or contractual obstacles with their current employers.

Anucha, though considered a familiar face, was chosen because he previously served as Bangkok MP for Khlong Toei District 2 and served as deputy spokesman for the Prime Minister's Office under General Prayut Chan-o-cha. The party believes he may secure more seats than the 9 seats won in the 2022 elections. Anucha's official unveiling and vision presentation will take place on May 16 at 2 p.m. at the Democratic Party headquarters.