After the Move Forward Party (MFP) was dissolved by court order on Aug 7, it has risen again as People’s Party (PP), with MFP party-list MP Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut chosen to lead it.
The new party and leader were announced on Aug 9 at a meeting of MFP members at the Thai Summit Tower in Bangkok’s Huai Khwang district.
Here is a brief introduction of Mr Natthaphong and a glimpse of his political journey.
The 37-year-old, nicknamed Teng, is the fourth son of real-estate tycoon Suchart Ruengpanyawut, who is the managing director of Chanunthorn Development Group and president of Ruengpanya Kehakran Ltd.
Mr Suchart’s companies develop luxury houses, condominiums and townhomes mostly in the Thonburi area of Bangkok.
Mr Natthaphong completed his bachelor’s in computer engineering at Chulalongkorn University and opened the software firm, Absolute Management Solutions Co Ltd, upon graduation.
Mr Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, former leader of the now-defunct Future Forward Party (FFP), later entrusted Mr Natthaphong with the job of overseeing the party’s online platform – a job he continued when the party reincarnated as MFP.
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Mr Natthaphong had contested under the FFP banner in the 2019 general election for Bangkok’s constituency 28 (Bang Khae) and won narrowly against a candidate of the then-ruling Palang Pracharath Party.
In the 2023 general election, Mr Natthaphong ran as a party-list candidate for MFP and won. He had his adviser, Mr Thanyathorn Dhaninwattanathorn, contest in the Bangkok constituency 30 (Bang Khae – Phasi Charoen), who won against Pheu Thai’s Supaporn Kongwutpanya.
As an MP, Mr Natthaphong currently chairs the House of Representatives ad hoc committee responsible for budget preparation and follow-up.
Also revealed at the meeting on Aug 9 was that Ms Sirikanya Tansakul, who served as MFP deputy leader, will continue as deputy leader for the new party, while former MFP director Sarayut Jailak will serve as the new party’s secretary-general. THE NATION/ASIA NEWS NETWORK