Chadchart Sittipunt revealed he will announce his readiness to run for Bangkok governor before 21 May, with his team having prepared over 300 policies. He emphasized that he does not support any candidate running for the Bangkok Metropolitan Council and denied any deal talks with the Prachachon Party, noting that running as an independent offers more flexibility.
3 May 2026 GMT+7 Chadchart Sittipunt, Governor of Bangkok, commented on the fact that many political parties have started unveiling timelines to launch their candidates for Bangkok governor, saying, “It's good to have choices for Bangkok residents. As for myself, I have not officially announced yet, although I have made many decisions. I need to wait until closer to the end of the governor's term.”
Regarding the promotion of Governor Chadchart’s achievements on social media, he said this is done by a team of young people who previously worked with him. He instructed them to review policies and recruit volunteers to listen to the public about what should be improved or is lacking after four years of work. It’s like inviting volunteers to collaborate, similar to the “Friends of Chadchart” group. Currently, the team called “work work work” is gathering new ideas and suitable policies. They have already developed over 300 policies and are reviewing them.
“I admit there is a tendency to be interested in running for Bangkok governor because I am still serving as governor and will do my best. Regarding policies, I have volunteer teams assisting.”
Regarding candidates interested in running for the Bangkok Metropolitan Council (BMC), some have posted photos of him with slogans and logos similar to the previous election on social media. Chadchart confirmed he has not endorsed anyone for BMC as he remains governor and must stay as neutral as possible. If he were to support anyone, he said people would hear it directly from him. Currently, there is no endorsement. He wants to treat everyone equally. It is normal for councilors he has worked with to have photos together, but there is definitely no special support for any team. However, he cannot monitor all posts because there are many.
He asked the public to understand that he does not support anyone and urged Bangkok residents to choose councilors who work well, are transparent, honest, and respectful to citizens and officials. If he were to support anyone, it would probably have no effect. He suggested judging candidates on their merits. If there are too many misuses of his image, he said discussions would be necessary to ask people not to use his photo.
Chadchart also revealed that before 21 May, he will announce his readiness to run for Bangkok governor. However, since he is still serving as governor, he questioned why he should declare his candidacy now. He wants to focus on working fully. If he says he will not run, his team might stop working. If he says he will run, it could be seen as campaigning, so it is a double-edged sword.
A reporter then asked about rumors that the Prachachon Party had approached him to run for Bangkok governor under their party. Chadchart exclaimed “What?” then explained, “Nothing at all. The Prachachon Party and we are friends. We have talked, some are engineering students. I admit there have been exchanges, but I do not talk to everyone, maybe just with deputy advisors. There is nothing. We have consistently stated that I am an independent governor because local work is more convenient that way. I can work for everyone, and policies can drive local development. But at the national level, political party support is necessary to cover many provinces.”
At the local level, he said, independence is manageable, which is both a strength and weakness. For him, it is a strength because he can work with everyone. He never considered running under a political party. If he runs again for Bangkok governor, it will be as an independent because he enjoys this freedom. He can make decisions by himself, without listening to anyone else, work more flexibly, and select deputy governors himself. He is one of the few governors with four deputy governors who have served a full four years without changes because they were personally chosen.
Regarding the Prachachon Party’s plan to announce their governor candidate on 5 May, Chadchart said it is a good thing. He does not know who the candidate is. He said the governor election is not like a boxing match but a presentation of the best proposals for the people. It is not about attacking opponents' weaknesses but about offering the best for the public. He focuses on what he will do for the people. Past shortcomings must be improved, and opponents have no bearing on him.
At the same time, he believes that there are many talented people in Thailand and trusts that democracy will select good leaders. He has told his team that the past four years were not just about managing Bangkok but also about building confidence in democracy. Ultimately, democracy is the best system that can select people to work for the public. Once the system is strong, it no longer depends on Chadchart. Whoever runs will be chosen by the system for their merit.
The governor also commented on Bangkok’s budget, which shows expenditures less than income, saying he is grateful to his team for efficient tax collection, including signboard taxes. Previous administrations had positive budgets. Bangkok has not borrowed money for expenses. Savings from procurement also create surplus funds.
Chadchart further explained, the reason for the surplus is that Bangkok has paid off much of its BTS debt. They strive to keep funds flowing into reserves and set a conservative budget, saving costs and using money efficiently. He hopes any new administration will maintain emergency reserves. This intention reflects a commitment to prudent budgeting. They have tried to avoid mid-year budget increases and use existing funds as much as possible. .