"Teng" revealed that the People's Party has learned lessons and will establish "Orange Volunteers" covering every village nationwide to combat the patronage system. Meanwhile, MPs who failed the election will continue working on committees and party tasks. A major meeting is planned for March.
At 3:00 p.m. on 22 Feb 2026 at the Rama Gardens Hotel, Mr. Natthapong Ruangpanyawut, leader of the People's Party, spoke about the party's large seminar. He said it was a session to collectively review the recent election results in detail to reflect on why they have yet to win. One key consensus was that the People's Party must intensify its grassroots work and prepare to establish a network of volunteers, or Orange Volunteers, covering every village nationwide. This network will serve as the eyes and ears for citizens, reporting local issues to party candidates to help the party push for solutions and act as an information source.
Mr. Natthapong added that the party must also organize local events and traditional activities to foster closeness between candidates and communities. Additionally, these volunteers will report corruption issues locally. He noted that in many areas during this election, there were suspicions of vote-buying, a practice present in every era but seemingly more prominent this time. Related authorities have struggled to effectively address these problems, so the party is preparing to deploy volunteers to serve as their eyes and ears.
Asked about roles for candidates who were not elected, Mr. Natthapong said that following the volunteer seminar, some candidates did not win but remain fully motivated and ready to continue working with the party. Over the past two days, the plan has been to finalize candidates quickly so they have ample time to work in their areas. The party also intends to provide roles or positions within parliament so candidates can serve the public regardless of election outcomes.
When asked about leadership changes at the party's March general meeting, Mr. Natthapong confirmed discussions had taken place. He emphasized the principle of innocence for the 44 MPs under scrutiny, stating none should face prosecution for proposing legal amendments, a direct duty of MPs. However, to manage risks, they discussed that if the court orders a suspension, he, as party leader, is willing to shift roles to strengthen party networks locally to secure future election victories. The party meeting will decide who will become the new leader and opposition leader. He urged caution, suggesting attention be focused on how cases proceed from the National Anti-Corruption Commission to the Supreme Court.
Asked about preparations for legal battles, Mr. Natthapong said the situation remains unchanged. The party's legal team has filed petitions with the Supreme Court on behalf of the 10 prospective MPs—8 from party lists and 2 constituency candidates—to prevent suspension orders. They are awaiting the Supreme Court's decision.
On concerns about internal party stability if suspensions occur, given these 10 prospective MPs are key figures, Mr. Natthapong said he is not worried. The party has personnel ready to step into roles such as committee chairs and opposition whips. When asked if anyone has been chosen as opposition whip, he declined to name individuals but confirmed discussions within the party and readiness among personnel.
Regarding reasons for the election loss, Mr. Natthapong said the overall election result can be summarized in two main points. First, about 60 percent of citizens approved the referendum regardless of region, even in areas where the party lost constituencies to Bhumjaithai or Kla parties, voters still supported the referendum. Second, the party maintained its lead in party-list MP votes, showing the strength of their ideological work and strategic planning. He believes the election results confirm the correctness of their ideological approach from the past.
Mr. Natthapong explained that the defeat was due to weaker grassroots work—insufficient defensive and proactive efforts locally. From these lessons, the party is preparing to build its own network. While the opposition has a patronage network, the party aims to establish its own volunteer network. Asked if it is necessary to involve local powerhouses, he noted that regardless of terminology—local powers or patronage systems—the undeniable fact is that people vote based on real local problems they face. The party's challenge is to build a network closely connected to citizens, genuinely solving their problems and freeing them from dependence on old patronage chains.