By Thai Newsroom Reporters
MOST PEOPLE have been found to continue to have confidence in the party called the People’s despite recent events in which a couple of the reformist camp’s electoral candidates have been arrested on charges of involvement in “grey” businesses.
According to an online opinion poll conducted last night (Jan.15) by The Standard news agency among 6,680 viewers, 82% of the respondents say they still have confidence in the People’s led by Nattapong Ruengpanyawut who is running for prime minister in the Feb.8 election though two of the reformist camp’s contestants running in constituency-based mode had been arrested on illicit online gambling and money-laundering charges.
The overwhelming percentage of pro-People’s viewers compared to 14% of the respondents who say they no longer have confidence in the reformist camp whilst 4% say they are undecided following the events in which ex-People’s MP Ratchapong Soisuwan who is seeking re-election in Tak but was recently arrested by the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau police on money-laundering charges and ex-People’s candidate Boonrit Raoroongroj who had applied to run for a constituency of Bangkok was finally withdrawn from the race to parliament due to similar criminal charges and replaced with another.
In the meantime, ex-People’s MP Rangsiman Rome who is seeking re-election in party-listed mode under the People’s tickets dared major contesting parties such as the Bhumjaithai under de facto party boss Newin Chichob and the Pheu Thai under de facto party boss/inmate Thaksin Shinawatra to declare to the public whether they may align with the Klatham under de facto party boss Thammanat Prompao to set up a post-election government in the wake of sustained allegations that the latter had been surreptitiously associated with “grey” businesspersons such as the transnational scamming and money-laundering suspect named Benjamin Mauerberger, alias Ben Smith, among others.
Nevertheless, Rangsiman advised that all contesting parties adopt some sort of a consensus to launch a joint antagonism against all “grey” elements in Thailand by eventually denying the Klatham the opportunity to jump onto the potential bandwagon of a future coalition government.
“May we adopt a consensus to deny the Klatham access to power and no longer give Thammanat a ministerial seat after all?,” the People candidate said.
But no unambiguous response has been made by those major camps toward his persisting call so far.
CAPTION:
Top and Front Page – People’s leader Nattapong Ruengpanyawut, third from left in both photos, campaigning in Mukdahan province yesterday, Jan. 15, 2026. Credit – Thai Rath
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