Municipal elections revealed the party’s inability to break the influence of patronage despite receiving 14 million votes in the general election.
The People’s Party’s (PP) disappointing results in the 11 May municipal elections revealed its growing inability to overcome the country’s deeply entrenched patronage system. Analysts believe that the party faced serious difficulties in trying to break the traditional model of political power.
The results of the municipal elections, where the PP won a negligible number of seats, were a significant blow. Municipalities represent the lowest level of local government, and failure at this level points to broader problems for the party.
In previous months, the PP also performed poorly in elections for tambon administrative organizations (TAOs) and provincial administrative organizations (PAOs). A political analyst noted that the party managed to win in only one province, Lampun.
On 11 May, elections were held in 2,463 municipalities across the country, including 33 Nakhon cities, 213 Muang cities, and 2,217 Tambon municipalities. Of the 4,558 candidates for mayor and 60,515 candidates for municipal council seats, 2,128 mayors and 33,346 municipal councilors were elected.
The PP fielded 15 candidates for mayor in Nakhon municipalities across the country, but all of them were defeated. Only five PP candidates won in Muang municipalities and nine in Tambon municipalities.
According to political analysts, the results of the municipal elections demonstrated the immutability of the existing situation. Traditional politics still dominates in the provinces, which are strongholds for many political parties.
A source in political circles expressed the opinion that the PP was shocked that none of its candidates won seats in the Nakhon municipalities covering the central areas of the provinces, where the party usually enjoys support.
According to the source, the PP is not only losing in local elections. The party is believed to be fighting a losing battle in its attempt to dismantle the patronage system. Politicians whose families hold government positions redirect funds to infrastructure development in order to win over voters.
The PP argues that this practice contradicts meritocracy, as it fuels the patronage system that politicians rely on to achieve victory. The PP’s anti-patronage approach has led residents to bypass the party.
Vanivichit Boonprom, a political science expert at Rangsit University, believes that local politics does not lead to significant changes in national politics, so local elections can be considered a waste of time.
Tanaporn Sriyakul, director of the Institute for Political and Public Policy Analysis, warned the PP against frequent defeats in local elections, reminding them that the party won 14 million votes in the 2023 general election.
In addition, according to the analyst, former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra is increasingly confident in his efforts to remove the Ministry of the Interior from the control of the Pheu Thai Party. According to media reports, Thaksin said that the ministry is not working at full capacity and that the Pheu Thai Party should take over its management.
The Ministry of the Interior plays an important role in controlling provincial administrations and influencing voter support. Thaksin’s desire to transfer the ministry to the control of the Pheu Thai Party demonstrates his confidence that the Pheu Thai Party will not leave the coalition.
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