Priset Ubchue Emerges as Bangkok Governor Candidate, Party Postpones Launch to May 5
Thailand's People's Party will unveil its Bangkok governor candidate on May 5, with party MP Priset Ubchue confirming preparations are underway but declining to name the contender before the official launch.
At 9:45 a.m. on April 28 at Parliament, Priset Wachrasindu, a People's Party list MP, commented on reports that the party would field Chaiwat Sathawarawichit, also known as "Dr. Joe," as its Bangkok governor candidate. Priset stated that the People's Party has already announced it will unveil its Bangkok governor candidate and 50 Bangkok Metropolitan Assembly candidates at 5 p.m. on May 5, though he could not confirm the candidate's identity before the official announcement.
When asked whether two months of campaigning would be sufficient, Priset said the party has been continuously preparing Bangkok's campaign, not just beginning preparations for the May 5 announcement. The party has already revealed preliminary candidate names and is gathering public feedback through its website on candidate suitability. Policy proposals are also being continuously developed.
Priset emphasized that solving Bangkok's problems requires multiple parallel mechanisms. The party has already prepared policies for both the governor candidate and Bangkok Metropolitan Assembly candidates, which will be detailed during the May 5 launch.
The People's Party MPs have prioritized pushing for amendments to the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration Act, as the 1985 law significantly limits elected governors' power to address Bangkok's problems such as traffic and flooding. The party previously submitted draft amendments and presented them to the current assembly for modernized management structures and more effective problem-solving.
When asked about the party's confidence given that some major parties might not field candidates, Priset said the focus should not be on which parties participate, but on the party providing the most complete and thorough proposals so Bangkok residents will trust that supporting the People's Party in Bangkok would improve their quality of life.
Regarding the selection criteria and thorough vetting to prevent past controversies, Priset said the party takes multiple factors seriously in candidate selection, including vision and policy alignment. The party considers how well candidates can cooperate with all party sectors and Bangkok Metropolitan Assembly colleagues.
Priset confirmed the party is strict about candidate qualifications, screening, and verification.
