Bangkok 2026 Election: A profile of “Councilor Mai” – Wiphut Sriwaurai, Chairman of the Bangkok Metropolitan Council and former pilot, continuing his run for Bang Rak District Councilor, now as an independent candidate, promoting a 4-year plan titled “Bang Rak... Continuing Development.”
May 10, 2026 marks the approaching date for the upcoming election that completes its 4-year term on May 21, 2026, for the Governor of Bangkok and Bangkok Metropolitan Council members (BMC). This year’s election is lively, with many candidates announcing their runs. The Election Commission (EC) has set candidate registration from May 28 to June 1, 2026, with the election day scheduled for Sunday, June 28, 2026.
Among the Bangkok Metropolitan Council members expected to run again in this election is Mr. Wiphut Sriwaurai, Councilor for Bang Rak District. He also holds the position of Chairman of the Bangkok Metropolitan Council. He has revealed his plan for the next four years if re-elected, under the campaign “Bang Rak... Continuing Development,” aiming to enhance existing potentials—not merely adding new initiatives but ensuring all systems connect and function effectively (read more:“Councilor Mai” promotes a 4-year plan “Bang Rak... Continuing Development” to advance existing potentials.)
Mr. Wiphut Sriwaurai, nicknamed Mai, was born on September 5, 1990, and will turn 36 in 2026. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree with first-class honors, gold medalist, in Aviation Science from the Civil Aviation Training Center of Thailand. His work experience includes being a pilot for Thai Airways Public Company Limited, flying Boeing 777 aircraft, and working offshore on oil drilling rigs with Transocean Deepwater and Shelf Drilling. He has completed various trainings, including the Defense Course for Future Executives, the 10th Metropolitan Executive Development Program, the 9th Urban Leadership Program, and the Climate Action Leaders Forum (CAL Forum) Class 4.
Mr. Wiphut has grown up and developed close ties with the Bang Rak District community, working closely with residents and serving as a key member of the Bangkok Metropolitan team of the Pheu Thai Party. He later ran for Bang Rak District Councilor under the Pheu Thai Party banner in the May 22, 2022 election, receiving the highest vote count.
His notable achievements as a councilor include organizing balanced regulation of street vendors and pedestrian walkways, advocating budgets to repair and clean drainage pipes in Bang Rak’s alleys to manage rainwater during the wet season, supporting the transformation of vacant lots into small green spaces (Pocket Parks), and improving the efficiency of local public health service centers.
Within the Bangkok Metropolitan Council, Mr. Wiphut has also served as a member of the annual budget expenditure committee, frequently questioning the cost-effectiveness of large projects and the distribution of budgets to grassroots levels. He served as the First Deputy Chairman of the Bangkok Metropolitan Council from June 6, 2024, to June 27, 2025, before being elected by the council assembly as Chairman of the Bangkok Metropolitan Council starting July 31, 2025.
Standing Committees
2022–2024
1. First Deputy Chairman, Committee on Governance and Security
2. Second Deputy Chairman, Committee on Culture, Tourism, and Sports
3. Member, Committee on Traffic and Transportation
Special Committees
2022
Member, Special Committee to Consider Bangkok Metropolitan Ordinance Draft on the Annual Budget for Fiscal Year 2023
2023
1. Chairman, Special Committee to Study the Impact of Cannabis or Hemp Use Near Vulnerable Places
2. Second Deputy Chairman, Special Committee to Consider Bangkok Metropolitan Ordinance Draft on Electric Buses to Reduce Pollution
3. Member, Special Committee to Consider Bangkok Metropolitan Ordinance Draft on Building Characteristics and Open Spaces for Environmental Quality
4. Member, Special Committee to Study Problems of the Green Line Electric Train Project
5. Member, Special Committee to Study Amendments to the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration Act B.E. 2528 (1985), 6th Revision (2019)
6. Member, Special Committee to Study the Transition to Electric Vehicles in Government Fleets
2024
1. Member, Special Committee on the Transfer of Traffic Responsibilities to Bangkok Metropolitan Administration Oversight
2. Member, Special Committee to Study Strategies for Digital and Technology Development in Bangkok
3. Member, Special Committee to Study the Preparation and Planning of Bangkok’s Master Plan in Economically Potential Areas
Additionally, Mr. Wiphut maintains a website for public engagement, tracking his work, field visits, and various activities titled"Bang Rak Talks with Wiphut."For the upcoming Bangkok 2026 election on June 28, Mr. Wiphut will run as an independent candidate, no longer affiliated with a political party as before. He is prepared to compete against other candidates in Bang Rak District, stating on his personal Facebook page: “We are not a political party. We are independent. We do not conceal any agenda. We are workers. Workers means independence.”
