Mom Luang Korakasiwat Kasemsri has announced his candidacy for Bangkok governor, highlighting a vision of a city safe 24 hours a day. He considers the four years under Chadchart’s administration as productive but not fully accomplished. He asks Bangkok residents for a chance, denies receiving backing from "Uncle Pom," and says he is running as an independent, able to communicate with all groups.
24 May 2026 GMT+7 Mom Luang Korakasiwat Kasemsri Mom Luang Korakasiwat Kasemsri, a candidate for Bangkok governor, held a press conference to present his policies, vision, and ideas for driving the capital city forward. He also introduced his team and professional leaders in various fields who are ready to volunteer and contribute to improving the quality of life for Bangkok residents at the Thammasat Association (Sathorn).
Mr. Teerachai Phuwanatnaranuban, former Minister of Finance, said that the role of Bangkok governor is a challenge. In the future, the governor must not only work within Bangkok’s boundaries but look beyond them. He called for a governor who acts as a coordinator in all directions, as the real power in Bangkok lies only partly with the governor due to legal constraints; much power belongs to other government agencies, which has caused past difficulties in problem-solving.
He added that this Bangkok governor election requires a candidate who can coordinate in all directions and has the capability. He considers "Mom Korn," with political experience, to be the most suitable competitor—both talented and good-natured, with sound ideas and character. Therefore, he is confident that the best candidate for Bangkok governor this time is Mom Luang Korakasiwat.
. Mom Luang Korakasiwat opened by stating that he has no backers supporting him—only the people. He volunteers to be the last stronghold for the citizens. The new Bangkok governor must be a strategist who anticipates problems ahead, someone brave enough to confront corruption and extortion, using systems to suppress fraud. He must be an architect who envisions sustainability, turning Bangkok into a city that transforms waste into resources. The governor should act as a coordinator in all directions, able to work with everyone to make policies a reality.
“Today, I volunteer to be a commander ready for tough battles, to lead Bangkok’s people forward continuously and safely. We will dismantle old systems and build new ones, creating a city safe for the children of Bangkok forever. Let’s walk together to change Bangkok’s future.”
Mom Luang Korakasiwat then gave an interview about his decision to run as an independent and about conversations he had with General Prawit Wongsuwan, Chairman of the Advisory Board of the Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP). He said that the Bangkok Metropolitan Council (BMC) is diverse, with many colors and independents. He wants to communicate and work seamlessly with all groups, so running as an independent is appropriate. He reported this to General Prawit and asked to run as an independent.
When asked, Mom Luang Korakasiwat said that General Prawit encouraged him to proceed and gave him a head pat as a blessing. The general is currently not involved in politics at all. Running as an independent allows him to fully respond to policies without party restrictions on what he must say or not say. Therefore, what you see on stage comes from a genuine desire to solve Bangkok’s problems. He welcomes any proposals and is willing to adopt them as policies. He and his team and advisors are all highly capable individuals.
When asked about the strong popularity of former governor Chadchart Sithiphan, Mom Luang Korakasiwat said that Chadchart had the opportunity to work for four years, but there are areas where he believes he can add value. Many achievements seen by the public, such as Traffy Fondue, were actually initiated by Police General Aswin Kwanmuang, the former governor since 2018, but gained attention during Chadchart’s tenure. He sees opportunities to build upon these achievements.
He noted that although Chadchart’s popularity is due to his prior work, he wants citizens to realize that we are in a crisis—energy, war, and economic challenges. Today, we need more than a caretaker; district directors already handle routine tasks. We need a commander to lead through the crisis, which is not yet fully manifest. He expects increasing problems in goods and employment. Therefore, the opportunity should be given to someone who recognizes these problems and has proposed solutions as outlined. He believes they are ready to work for Bangkok to the best of their ability.
At today’s launch, Mom Luang Korakasiwat also introduced his advisory team, including Mr. Teerachai Phuwanatnaranuban, former Minister of Finance, as chairman of financial and fiscal advisors; Mr. Arthit Laosakul, an expert in design and architectural planning from the Bangkok Scenephisticate gubernatorial team; Mr. Apichart Prasitnarit, prospective Bangkok Metropolitan Council candidate and expert in civic development; Mr. Panthep Puapongphan, chairman of health and social advisory board; and Police Major General Nopparat Paenkaew, Bangkok governor’s safety advisor.