Anucha Boopachai Sri, the leading candidate for the Democrat Party in the Bangkok governor race, appeared at an event, revealing he has resigned from the Bhumjaithai Party. Pichet, former secretary to ex-Governor Apirak, also joined the AI event. Meanwhile, Abhisit emphasized the candidate announcement will take place on 16 May.
At 14:30 on 12 May 2026, the Democrat Party held the “AI Demo Day: Bangkok Builders Edition” at the Tobacco Factory Warehouse 5 in Bangkok. The event attracted AI experts from Thailand and abroad. Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva officially opened the event. Notably, the event featured... Mr. Anucha Boopachai Sri a former Bhumjaithai Party party-list MP, who attended the event accompanied by Mr. Sakolthee Phattiyakul, deputy leader of the Democrat Party responsible for Bangkok. They later spoke with Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva and deputy leader Korn Chatikavanij.
Anucha revealed that as a former MP for Khlong Toei, he came to observe the event held in his area. He also confirmed that he resigned from the Bhumjaithai Party late last week, with the party having fully acknowledged his resignation process. When pressed on whether he intends to join the Democrat Party, Anucha responded, "I came to observe the event, but in the future, I may join the party."
Reporters noted that among attendees was a person considered the front-runner for the Democrat Party’s Bangkok governor candidate, Dr. Pichet Rerkpreecha, former secretary to Mr. Apirak Kosayothin, former Bangkok governor. Currently, he is an executive advisor at LINE Plus, the parent company of LINE Thailand. Previously, he served as CEO of LINE Thailand and an executive at Google Thailand. Dr. Pichet (wearing a blue shirt) briefly stated he attended as a member of the IT community.
Meanwhile, Mr. Abhisit jokingly said to wait until 16 May when the party will officially unveil its candidate for Bangkok governor. When asked if Dr. Pichet was the candidate, Abhisit neither confirmed nor denied, reiterating to wait until 16 May.
Abhisit explained the event was part of the party’s ongoing policy to restructure Thailand’s economy to keep pace with global trends. Although Thai people use advanced technology extensively, much of it is imported. Without progress, Thailand risks being merely a user, missing the future economy. This event showed many Thai and foreign individuals ready to be “Builders” of AI in Thailand. If the government can manage high-potential areas and provide comprehensive facilities, turning them into talent communities, this will be a key starting point for digital economic growth. Beyond arts and culture, Bangkok’s livability is a vital asset recognized worldwide as “soft power.”
One of the most important factors is livability—why people worldwide want to live here. Yet, this asset has not been fully leveraged to attract skilled talent to work in Thailand. The party is ready to support all sectors, including Bangkok’s current and future administrations, to foster an environment conducive to innovation. The party’s Bangkok governor candidate must deeply understand not only how to use technology but also how to harness it to develop the city and economy simultaneously.
When asked if the candidate mentioned was present at the event, Abhisit smiled and said, "Probably yes," and urged the public to await the official announcement on 16 May to hear the candidate’s vision firsthand. Whether the candidate can win depends on voters, but the party will fully commit to presenting ideas aimed at improving Bangkok. The party seeks real economic and national change, with Bangkok playing a key role. Regarding the definition of a new generation, Abhisit personally believes it is measured by attitude and the ability to keep up with global changes.
