Thairath has partnered with the King Prajadhipok's Institute to launch the campaign "Choose the Bangkok Governor Once More," driving creative election content with the slogan "The Right Choice, Reliable Information." Charupol revealed the institute aims to use data to develop democracy.
On 4 June 2026, at Building 17, Thairath TV (11th floor meeting room), Thairath, Thailand's leading news agency, led by Pranot Wilepsuwan, Executive Officer of Television Content at Thairath TV, announced a significant collaboration with the King Prajadhipok's Institute. Represented by Captain Dr. Charupol Ruangsuwan, Deputy Director of the College of Politics and Governance—an academic institute under the supervision of the Speaker of Parliament that plays a key role in promoting and developing democracy—the two formed a strategic alliance. They held a press conference to launch the major campaign "Choose the Bangkok Governor Once More," Thairath Election '69, aiming to drive news and educational content during the 2026 Bangkok governor election in a creative, engaging, and sharp manner. The goal is to help capital city residents make the best decisions in selecting their leader.
This collaborative campaign is based on the concept "The Right Choice, Reliable Information," which will be delivered through content portals and five main conceptual axes on Thairath TV Channel 32 and all online platforms of Thairath Online, comprising:
Captain Dr. Charupol Ruangsuwan, Deputy Director of the College of Politics and Governance, spoke from the academic institute's perspective about using urban databases and advancing social issues through KPI Polls to create content with Thairath. He said the King Prajadhipok's Institute is an academic agency collaborating with Parliament, providing education on national and local politics—core to the institute’s mission. Previously, Dr. Issara Seriwatwattana, Secretary-General of the institute, initiated polls to inform the public, recognizing that academic content can be unpalatable and that the challenge was making it accessible. KPI Polls are part of this effort, leading to cooperation with various media, with Thairath being a leading outlet. They aim to combine strengths to produce engaging, followable, and useful content for the public. This collaboration is not just news reporting; it involves the institute’s Secretary-General and academics joining activities with Thairath to present diverse perspectives, poll results, and they believe this election will be more dynamic.
Pranot Wilepsuwan, Executive Officer of Television Content at Thairath TV, added from the media perspective on the content objectives and the direction of the special program group. He said that on behalf of Thairath Group, this partnership combines the strengths of both organizations to deliver five main content streams distributed across various programs. For example, "Game for City Control" is a debate program featuring vision clashes, the first of its kind in Thai media, inviting Dr. Issara to pose questions to three Bangkok governor candidates: independent candidate Chadchart Sittipunt, Chaiwat Staworawijit from the Prachachon Party, and Anucha Burapachaisri from the Democrat Party. The King Prajadhipok's Institute provides highly accurate academic data for this.
“Viewers today are not just looking for entertainment but also want academic information. Additionally, other Thairath programs include 'Open Talk with Phakphum' discussing polls, 'Newsroom' covering election pulse, and others, including revealing exit polls before the polls close,” Pranot said.
After the joint press conference, Captain Dr. Charupol gave further interview insights about election data for the Bangkok governor race. He said the King Prajadhipok's Institute began collecting data on the governor and council elections last month and has been working on it for three weeks, continuing until the 28 June 2026 election. According to the institute’s polls, public awareness is roughly half, with varying levels of interest. He believes voters may be waiting to assess campaign policies. Asked what might motivate Bangkok residents to vote in large numbers, Captain Dr. Charupol said it partly comes from a desire for change and improvement. Overall, Bangkok citizens appear more aware, with poll results indicating about 80% intend to vote, though the actual turnout will be seen on election day.
When asked about expectations from the collaboration between Thairath and the King Prajadhipok's Institute, Captain Dr. Charupol said they hope to advance sustainable democracy in elections. This partnership aims to promote information-driven engagement using raw data and poll results to eliminate past election issues, such as emotional rhetoric and voting based on sentiment. They want voters to focus more on data and policy issues, which are crucial for democratic development.
“28 June is another important day for Bangkok residents. Bangkok serves as the frontline of our country. I urge Bangkokians to exercise their voting rights, demonstrate their power, and fulfill their role as sovereign citizens,” Captain Dr. Charupol said.
