New Kalyaphat, former party-list MP, resigned from the People’s Party, citing that the party has changed and lost its original ideology. She declared a loss of faith because the party seeks fake power and brings in outsiders like Supajee, Sihasak, and Ekniti to compete.
On 6 Jan 2026 GMT+7, Ms. Kalyaphat Rojjitirojn (New), former party-list MP of the People’s Party, posted on X that she has officially resigned from the party. She said she wrote this before the upcoming party-list results announcement on Monday or Tuesday to avoid accusations of bitterness if she fails or being told to keep quiet if she succeeds. She wants to avoid any conflict of interest or bias, explaining she has been thinking about this for about six months before finally supporting Mr. Namngern, leading to today.
Ms. Kalyaphat added that she knows this message may upset some, but she is straightforward and believes voters, party members, leaders, fellow MPs, candidates, party staff, and networks from Future Forward, Move Forward, up to the people will understand. She said she never discussed all this with anyone. If she were submissive to the system, she would have continued medical studies, fulfilled her bond, and become an ENT professor instead of pursuing an MSc in dermatology in the UK, only to be looked down on as a second-rate cosmetic doctor or called stupid.
Since birth, she has never met any smart person who calls others stupid. Her life path was easy—studying dermatology in Thailand through powerful connections, which many mocked as stupid. With just one phone call, she could have studied dermatology in Thailand but chose not to because she didn’t want to start her career indebted to anyone. That alone made her question the point of studying hard when strong social ties always prevail in every aspect of society.
Ms. Kalyaphat continued that she was drawn to Future Forward because it made someone ignorant like her interested in politics by encountering leaders who didn’t submit to the system. Leaders like Thanathorn and progressive thinkers like Professor Pok were what she had awaited and was delighted by the party’s emergence. The idea that anyone with a dream should come and make it happen themselves resonated. Through Move Forward, the party grew larger and more beloved by the masses, and she too grew more attached, wanting to volunteer. She consulted Vayo and approached P’Tim after P’Wiroj’s gubernatorial announcement, offering help as a volunteer. Over two years, she has never regretted taking on this new role. Every hopeful look, flower, treat, smile, and embrace will remain in her heart forever.
Ms. Kalyaphat said that now the party has changed. This is her personal view, and people can disbelieve or laugh, but it is her true feeling. She understands the need for enough numbers to form a government and that sometimes one must swallow bitterness and compromise to gain state power. Otherwise, the party will always be looked down upon for lack of governance experience. If afraid of being looked down on, this party shouldn’t exist. Remember, the masses supported the party because it was authentic. Thai politics has shaken and changed significantly since the emergence of the Orange Party. If the speaker recalls, one party leader once said they wouldn’t accept ministers or prime ministers from outside; all must be MPs elected by the people.
She knows the context has changed, that there is fear of political reasons, 44 MPs losing rights, and 112 lèse-majesté cases leading to the need to bring in professional outsiders as executives. She knew about the outside cabinet team well before the top 100 party-list results. Has she ever been afraid? Previously, if Toto ran in Bangna and got a 112 case, was he at fault? The party had to move friends with 112 cases onto the party-list as if they were a burden in case of by-elections.
"No matter how many technocrats or elite professors you bring in, none can replace the ideology of one person who had to leave. Hundreds of doctors can’t replace Lookkaew, Toto, Kaewta, or P’Mart. I want to clarify that I respect the senior professors who might become outside ministers, but I value those who have spent enough time with the party and understand its DNA more. The party worries too much about the influence of Supajee, Sihasak, and Ekniti, whom I admire, especially Supajee, but they are not here to help our party. Why can’t Rome be Justice Minister? Why can’t Vayo or P’Mart or P’Suphat run the Ministry of Public Health? Why can’t P’Sia, P’Mod, or Name be Labor Minister? Why can’t Lookkaew or Kaewta manage Foreign Affairs? Or Or Juang be Education Minister? P’Brother can oversee Commerce, Attorney Jam Public Welfare, Kop or Tao improve Tourism, and P’Wiroj can handle Defense. P’Pek and P’Ni can manage Natural Resources easily, if only we endure for our time to come."
Ms. Kalyaphat summarized by questioning if ordinary people can really change politics. She feels the party is becoming like 'them,' stepping backward from its stance until she lost faith. If it’s just her, it’s fine and maybe no one cares, but they are making the public lose hope in so-called new politics that is not truly new. The party shouldn’t deny selecting from wealthy elites or judging people by credit bureau. She need not speak again about the flawed selection process, as it’s often discussed in MP meetings and never changes. How far must they retreat? One might say it’s to gain conservative or swing votes for power. Getting power is good; anyone running for MP should want to govern.
But if we keep making great grand compromises like this, then what's the point of winning? Because we lose our identity and ideological allies repeatedly to obtain this fake power. Everyone knows that playing by the old power's rules means no matter how skilled professionals you bring in, you can’t create real change. You must play by their framework and rules, and it’s too late. You have lost so much of your original self. Is it worth losing that good identity or stance just to gain power? We no longer need to ask if we still share the same dream.
"But I want to ask you: Do you look in the mirror and see how much you have changed? Have you forgotten why you entered politics? Most importantly, you have turned friends into enemies, causing us to lose allies continuously. A leader once said that people will have no choice but to vote for us. But the people are not possessions. I affirm this today as one citizen: the decision lies with the people."