A look back at the history of the influential Muangsiri family from Thonburi, who are fielding candidates to contest Bangkok Metropolitan Council seats, aiming to retain their dominance in the Bang Khun Thian and Bang Bon districts.
On 15 May 2026, a reporter noted that when mentioning political families who have controlled election areas for Bangkok Metropolitan Council members on the Thonburi side for many terms, one prominent family is the Muangsiri family. This is one of the oldest and most influential political families in Bangkok, especially in the Bang Khun Thian and Bang Bon districts, often referred to as the "major household of Thonburi."
The family's political journey has been passed down through generations, with notable adaptability. Key members have firmly established their influence both nationally and locally in Bangkok, beginning with
• the pioneering generation of village headman Pliew, or Mr. Pliew Muangsiri, former Member of Parliament for Bangkok in 1979, who laid the foundation of local support before passing the mantle to Mr. Prasert Muangsiri and Mr. Suwat Muangsiri, who continued as Bangkok MPs.
• Since then, descendants of the Muangsiri household have advanced steadily at national and local levels. Five family members have served as Bangkok MPs, including Mr. Pliew Muangsiri, Mr. Prasert Muangsiri, Mr. Suwat Muangsiri, Mr. Sakol Muangsiri, and Police Colonel Dr. Samart Muangsiri, gaining experience in multiple parties such as the Thai Citizens Party, Thai Rak Thai, Palang Pracharath, Democrat, and Pheu Thai parties.
Alongside their involvement in local politics,
in 1990, Mr. Surachai Muangsiri was elected as a Bangkok Metropolitan Council member for Bang Khun Thian district for the first time under the Thai Citizens Party. He was subsequently elected as a Bangkok Metropolitan Council member for three terms:
1. Bang Khun Thian district in 1990 with the Thai Citizens Party
2. Bang Khun Thian district in 1994 with the Thai Citizens Party
3. Bang Bon district in 1998 with the Democrat Party (becoming the first Bangkok Metropolitan Council member for Bang Bon after it was established as a separate district from Bang Khun Thian in 1997).
He maintained a stronghold in local politics,
until in 2002, Mr. Praphan Muangsiri, father of Mr. Narongsak Muangsiri, entered local politics and was elected as a Bangkok Metropolitan Council member for Bang Bon district in his first term under the Thai Rak Thai Party. He was elected to the Bangkok Metropolitan Council for two terms:
1. 2002 under the Thai Rak Thai Party
2. 2006 under the Thai Rak Thai Party
In 2006, Mr. Sathorn Muangsiri was elected as a Bangkok Metropolitan Council member for Bang Khun Thian district for his first term with the Democrat Party. He was elected for two terms:
1. 2006 under the Democrat Party
2. 2010 under the Democrat Party
Securing two key districts,
in 2010, Mr. Sarach Muangsiri, son of Mr. Prasert Muangsiri and brother to former MPs Mr. Sakol and Police Colonel Dr. Samart Muangsiri, was elected as a Bangkok Metropolitan Council member for Bang Khun Thian for the first term in 2010 and re-elected in 2022. Meanwhile, Mr. Narongsak Muangsiri (Bert), son of Mr. Praphan Muangsiri, was elected as a Bangkok Metropolitan Council member for Bang Bon for two terms in the same period under the Democrat Party. In 2025, the Muangsiri family announced their move to join the Pheu Thai Party.
For the upcoming Bangkok Metropolitan Council election, members of the Muangsiri family will contest in two districts:
◦ 1. Bang Khun Thian district, where Mr. Sarach Muangsiri is the two-term incumbent,
◦ 2. Bang Bon district, where Mr. Narongsak Muangsiri is the two-term incumbent, both seeking to retain their seats.
Both Mr. Sarach and Mr. Narongsak have announced their candidacies to defend their Bangkok Metropolitan Council seats for a third term. Notably, they are running as independent candidates under the group named "Working People." They explained this decision as a desire for independence and freedom from party control in their local work.
