Thammanat declared himself clearly as the sole prime minister candidate for the Kla Tham party. He said politics requires boldness and risk-taking and that he is unfazed by ongoing attacks during the campaign, having grown accustomed to them. He will run as the number one on the party list and will nominate Akara to run in a constituency instead. He emphasized he is not rushing to announce any alliances or partnerships, as failing to do so would cost supporters.
At 10:00 a.m. on 23 Dec 2025 GMT+7 at the Government House, Lieutenant Colonel Thammanat Phromphao, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives, who is also the chief advisor of the Kla Tham party, said in an interview about the party's prime minister candidate that he is the only one. "We don’t want people to think we are bringing in this or that person. We want it to be clear that it is just one person," he said.
When asked if having only one prime minister candidate posed risks in case of political accidents, Thammanat responded that politics requires boldness and risk-taking. Asked again whether being the sole candidate and facing continuous attacks would affect his campaign, he said he has been attacked continuously and has become accustomed to it, to the point that voters accept it. Regarding why the party has only one prime minister candidate, he said his political approach is different from others, as is the party's strategy chief Anudit Nakornthap. "If we want to conduct politics clearly, we don’t want people to think otherwise. Everyone knows I am the party owner, so let it be clear that it’s just me alone. I want my party members to win as much as possible. I’m not thinking about anything else," he added.
Thammanat said that on 25 Dec 2025 GMT+7, the party will officially introduce its MP candidates. The campaign will be handled by the party's strategy chief. The party's campaign slogan this time is "Do more than talk." Regarding the number of MPs targeted, he said seasoned politicians should set low expectations at first but targets will be based on the party’s strategy.
When asked about former MPs who have joined the party and the total number including current MPs, Thammanat said he cannot recall exactly but estimates about 60 people. He said several former Grade A MPs have joined Kla Tham. Candidates who lost in the previous election have stayed with him for a long time and he believes they understand well. Asked if he has particular provinces in mind to win all seats such as Phayao, he said there are several but he prefers not to say. For the southern region, the party's targets follow the strategy committee’s plan. He admitted he is not good with numbers.
When asked if Thammanat would run as a constituency MP, he said no. Instead, Minister of Social Development and Human Security Akara Phromphao will run as a constituency candidate in Phayao Province on his behalf. Thammanat himself will run as the number one on the party list.
Asked about the People's Party (PChon) announcing that if the Palangthong party forms the government, PChon will be the opposition, Thammanat said that is too far ahead and should not be discussed yet. "If we fail to deliver, we would lose people again," he added.