Kla Tham Party

The Kla Tham Party (KT; Thai: พรรคกล้าธรรม, lit. 'Brave Dharma Party') is a centre-right political party in Thailand. The party was officially founded on April 7, 2020, under its original name, the Thai Economic Party. The party is currently led by Narumon Pinyosinwat and serves as the political affiliation of the Thammanat Group, a faction of breakaway MPs from Palang Pracharath and Pheu Thai party, led by Thamanat Prompow. Currently, it is a junior party in the ruling government coalition.

The Thai Economic Party was officially registered on 7 April 2020, with Prasong Wararattanakul as party leader and Methawi Netsawai as its first secretary-general.^[4]

On 19 February 2021, Prasong Wararattanakul resigned from party membership and from the position of party leader, with the resignation taking effect on 20 February 2021. This resulted in the entire executive committee vacating office in accordance with party regulations; however, committee members continued to perform their duties until a new executive committee was elected. Mrs Ratchanee Siwavech, then serving as deputy party leader, was among the remaining executive members.^[5]

On Sunday, 12 December 2021, the Thai Economic Party held a general meeting to elect a new executive committee and party leaders following the resignation of the previous members.

Subsequently, on Friday, 18 March 2022, the party convened its annual general assembly at its headquarters. During the meeting, members approved amendments to party regulations and other organisational changes, and elected a new executive committee. General Wit Devahastin Na Ayudhya was elected party leader, while Captain Thamanat Prompow was chosen as secretary-general. Mr. Bunsing Warinrak was appointed party registrar, and Mrs. Thanaporn Siriwiraj was named party treasurer.^[6]

On Tuesday, May 24, 2022, Mr. Boonsingh Warinraks, list MP and party membership registrar, revealed that he and 14 other executive committee members had submitted their resignation letters to the party registrar and the Election Commission. This decision led to the dissolution of the current executive committee, with elections for a new committee scheduled to be held within 45 days, as stipulated by the party's regulations.^[7] Following this, General Vichai and Khomsan Phanvichatikul resigned from their positions as party leader and deputy spokesperson, respectively.

On June 10, 2022, the Thai Economic Party held an extraordinary general meeting to amend the party's regulations, including relocating its office to 130/1 Soi Ratchadapisek 54, Ratchadapisek Road, Ladyao, Chatuchak, Bangkok, which had previously been the office of the Palang Pracharat Party. The meeting also elected a new executive committee of 24 members, with Major General Thammanat Prompao and Mr. Phai Likhit being elected as party leader and secretary-general, respectively.^[8]

On October 8, 2022, Major General Thammanat resigned from his position as party leader, effective the same day, which led to the dissolution of the entire executive committee.^[9]

On October 10, 2022, the Thai Economic Party held its third extraordinary general meeting to amend the party's regulations again, changing the party's logo, relocating its office to Phayao Province, and electing a new executive committee of 11 members. The meeting elected Mr. Cheongsak Jaikam and Mr. Sajjawit Leelavanitch as the new party leader and secretary-general, respectively.^[10]

On December 7, 2022, Mr. Suthai Phongpierchob submitted his resignation from the party, resulting in the loss of his position as the party's membership registrar, thus reducing the executive committee to 10 members.^[11]

On April 25, 2023, the Thai Economic Party held its first annual general meeting of 2023 to amend its party regulations, changing the party's name to Kla Tham. The party also updated its logo, policies, slogans, and ideology. Additionally, the party elected a new party membership registrar, Supakit Panya.^[12]

On August 6, 2024, the Kla Tham Party held its first extraordinary general meeting of 2024 to elect a new party leader and executive committee. This followed the resignation of Cheongsak Jaikam as party leader on July 17, 2024. The election results revealed that Narumon Pinyosinwat, the Thai Trade Representative, was selected as the new party leader, while Sajjawit Leelavanitch continued as the party's secretary-general.^[13]

Narumon stated that the Kla Tham Party's official headquarters would be officially launched in December, located at the Pansee Building, the original office of the Thai Economic Party under Major General Thammanat Prompao. She also mentioned that for the upcoming elections, the Kla Tham Party would focus particularly on the northern, southern, and northeastern regions, as well as in Chachoengsao Province, which is under the responsibility of Mr. Ithi Sirilatthayakorn, the deputy minister of agriculture and cooperatives. However, the Kla Tham Party will not directly participate in local elections for the position of provincial administrative organization (PAO) chief executive but will continue to support its members.^[14]

On Wednesday, January 19, 2022, the Thai Economic Party made headlines again when Major General Thammanat Prompao, MP for Phayao and former secretary-general of the Palang Pracharath Party, along with 20 other MPs, prepared to join the Thai Economic Party. Unconfirmed reports suggested that General Vich Thephasadin Na Ayutthaya would be named party leader, while Apichai Techauobol, MP and former treasurer of the Democrat Party, would serve as party secretary-general. Police General Patcharawat Wongsuwan, former National Police Chief, and Admiral Sittawatchar Wongsuwan, the younger brother of General Prawit Wongsuwan, were also rumored to become party advisors. On Thursday, January 20, 2022, Phai Lik, MP for Kamphaeng Phet 1, who had been expelled from the Palang Pracharath Party along with Major General Thammanat, confirmed via Facebook that the group of 21 MPs would move to the Thai Economic Party, as their principles aligned.^[15]

On Sunday, January 23, 2022, Chomkwan Kalabhama, MP for Samut Sakhon, who had joined the Thai Economic Party, held a meeting to establish a party branch in Samut Sakhon.^[16]

Then, on Thursday, February 3, 2022, at 11:30 AM, General Vich Thephasadin Na Ayutthaya, the strategic director of the Palang Pracharath Party, submitted his resignation letter from the party to General Prawit Wongsuwan, the party leader. This caused his removal from the strategic director position, leading to further speculation that he was preparing to become the leader of the Thai Economic Party. However, the admin of his social media page later admitted to a miscommunication and apologized for the confusion, clarifying the situation.^[17]

On January 28, 2022, the Thai Economic Party officially notified the House of Representatives that it had accepted 18 MPs who were expelled from the Palang Pracharath Party into its ranks.^[18] On Tuesday, February 8, 2022, these MPs participated in their first meeting as members of the Thai Economic Party.

Following the meeting, Bunsingh Worintharak, an MP, announced that the Thai Economic Party would hold its annual general meeting on Friday, March 18, 2022, to amend its regulations, relocate its headquarters to U-Tower, and select a new 26-member executive committee. According to rumors, General Vich Thephasadin Na Ayutthaya would become the party leader, and Major General Thammanat Prompao would serve as the party's secretary-general.^[19]

On August 18, 2024, after Major General Thammanat Prompao announced his separation from General Prawit Wongsuwan, leader of the Palang Pracharath Party, due to his exclusion from the list of ministers in the new cabinet under Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, rumors began to circulate that Major General Thammanat was preparing to move his MPs to join the Kla Tham Party.^[20]

In the proposed cabinet appointments for Major General Thammanat's faction, Narumol Phinyosinthwattana was nominated for the position of minister of agriculture and cooperatives, replacing Major General Thammanat.^[21] On September 3, 2024, a royal decree was issued appointing the new cabinet, with two ministers from Major General Thammanat’s faction in the Kla Tham Party: Narumol Phinyosinthwattana as minister of agriculture and cooperatives, and Itthi Sirilattayakorn as deputy minister of agriculture and cooperatives.

On October 5, 2024, Krititatch Sangthanyothin, MP from the party list and leader of the New Party, was expelled from the party. The following day, Chao Writthit Kachornpongkitti, MP from the party list and leader of the New Social Power Party, was also expelled. Both later applied for membership in the Kla Tham Party. Krititatch stated that he had applied to join the Kla Tham Party after being expelled from the New Party, where he had no role or support as an opposition party member. He acknowledged that he had been working in isolation and, after discussions with Major General Thammanat Prompao, chose to join Kla Tham Party, where 5–6 MPs from small parties had been discussing common goals.^[22]

On October 15, Buncha Dechjerongsirikul, MP from the party list and leader of the Thai Local Party, joined the Kla Tham Party, increasing the party’s representation to 3 MPs.^[23] Six days later, Preeda Boonpleng, MP from the party list and leader of the Teachers for the People Party, who had been expelled from his party, also joined Kla Tham Party, bringing the total number of MPs to 4.^[24]

Additionally, other individuals, such as Phongsak Ja Kaew, head of the Surat Thani Provincial Administration Organization, and Anongnart Ja Kaew, former candidate for Surat Thani MP from the Ruam Thai Sang Chart Party, also joined Kla Tham Party.^[25] Anongnart now serves as the secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Narumon Phinyosinthwattana.^[26]

Later, on December 11, 2024, the Palang Pracharath Party’s executive board voted to expel Major General Thammanat and 20 MPs from his faction for differing ideologies.^[27] The following day, the decision was finalized in a joint meeting between the executive board and MPs.^[28] On December 17, Narumol revealed that Major General Thammanat and his faction of 20 MPs would join the Kla Tham Party, with plans for a party restructuring meeting by the end of 2025. It was speculated that Major General Thammanat would become the party’s chief advisor, Phai Lick from Kamphaeng Phet would serve as party secretary, and Athakorn Sirilattayakorn from Chachoengsao would become the party treasurer.^[29][30]

On December 18, 2024, the MPs from Thammanat's group officially joined the Kla Tham Party. The party held a press conference to announce the 20 MPs joining on December 19, 2024, at the Sappayasapasathan.^[31]

Subsequently, on December 23, 2024, it was reported that after the party’s annual general meeting in early 2025, the party’s executive board would undergo changes. Among the changes, Bunying Nittikanchana, MP from Ratchaburi, would become the party’s treasurer, while Athakorn Sirilattayakorn, MP from Chachoengsao, would be reassigned from his previous role as treasurer to the position of party registrar. Additionally, five new vice-leaders of the party would be appointed, representing different regions of the country.^[32]

Here is the translation of the "Elections" section while keeping the formatting intact:

The Thai Economic Party first ran candidates in the 2022 by-election for the Member of Parliament for Lampang District 4 to fill the vacant seat. The party nominated Mr. Wattana Sittiwang as the candidate for the election after his previous term ended due to a Supreme Court ruling ordering a new election.^[34] However, he was not elected.

Subsequently, the Thai Economic Party changed its name to the Kla Tham Party and did not field candidates in the 2023 general election for the Thai House of Representatives.

• Kla Tham Party on Facebook