The Peu Thai Rumphalang Party was a dark horse that won two seats from 11 constituency MP candidates in Ubon Ratchathani.
The small party, whose name and logo remind the public of the Pheu Thai Party, took two seats in the big northeastern province, overthrowing the long-standing local MPs.
The two winning candidates took over Ubon Ratchathani’s Constituency 3 and Constituency 10.
Phimphakan Phonsamak received 31,218 votes from Constituency 3, or 31.35% of all votes, while the second-most voted candidate from the same constituency was Chuwit Phithakphonphanlop who received 22,020 votes.
Mr Chuwit joined the Democrat Party in the 1990s and later was a long-time Pheu Thai candidate for Ubon Ratchathani.
Mrs Phimphakan was a former president of the Ubon Ratchathani’s provincial administrative organisation (PAO).
Mrs Phimphakan has worked for locals for decades and was active in helping communities during the pandemic.
For the province’s Constituency 10, Peu Thai Rumphalang Party’s candidate, Somsak Bunprachom, won the seat with 63,127 votes or 64.79%, beating the Pheu Thai Party’s candidate Somkhit Chueakhong who got 19,351 votes.
Mr Somsak was a contractor and president of a local club in Nam Yuen District in Ubon Ratchathani. He was also known to be active in helping locals during the pandemic.
Some reports said that the 50,000-vote difference between Mr Somsak and Pheu Thai Party’s candidate resulted from Mr Somsak’s effort to familiarise himself with Nam Yeun district’s locals.
The Peu Thai Rumphalang Party was founded on Oct. 25, 2021. Wasawat Poungponsri was assigned party leader, while Wichai Jitpitaklert was made secretary-general.
The party office is at tambon Suthep in Muang district of Chiang Mai. It has nine party executives.
