A profile of Chadchart Sittipunt, winner of the Bangkok governor election for a second term, known for the popular meme "Ao..Pued," who was so strong he set a record by breaking his own previous vote tally, achieving the highest score in the history of Bangkok governor elections.
On 29 June 2026, the 2026 Bangkok governor election results were as expected by polls. When the results were announced, Mr. Chadchart Sittipunt, an independent candidate seeking a second term, won overwhelming support from Bangkok residents and surpassed his own 2022 record of 1,386,215 votes by increasing to 1,444,914 votes, the highest in the history of Bangkok governor elections.
"Whether or not people choose us, we must not disappoint the public. We have always tried our best and believe we must continue doing so wholeheartedly. Thank you for every vote and to the people who kindly went out to vote. I think this is the beauty of democracy," Chadchart said on stage at Stadium One after unofficial results showed over 50% of votes counted.
Thairath Online takes a look back at the life of Mr. Chadchart Sittipunt, former Bangkok governor, before he ran again for a second term. Chadchart was born on 24 May 1966 and is currently 59, turning 60. Nicknamed “Trip,” he is the son of Police General Sanet Sittipunt, former Metropolitan Police Commissioner, and Jitjarung Sittipunt. He has two siblings from the same parents: Associate Professor Dr. Preechaya Sittipunt, former architecture faculty member at Chulalongkorn University, and Associate Professor Dr. Chanchai Sittipunt, a former Medical Council committee member (2019-2021), dean of Chulalongkorn University Faculty of Medicine, and director of King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital; he is Chadchart’s elder twin brother.
In his personal life, Chadchart was married to Piyada, a Thai Airways employee; they divorced in 2017. They have one son, Saenpiti Sittipunt (nicknamed Saendee), who has been hearing impaired since birth. Saenpiti received a cochlear implant surgery in 2002 and has inspired Chadchart’s desire to develop Bangkok into a genuinely disability-friendly city.
Chadchart completed lower secondary at Chulalongkorn University Demonstration School and upper secondary at Triam Udom Suksa School. He earned a Bachelor of Engineering with first-class honors in Civil Engineering from Chulalongkorn University, a Master of Science in Structural Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and a PhD in Civil (Structural) Engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, USA.
Before running for Bangkok governor, Chadchart was first known politically as former Deputy Minister and Minister of Transport in Yingluck Shinawatra’s government. He was a key figure in national strategic planning, emphasizing rail transport. His achievements as Minister included redesigning Bang Sue Central Station to accommodate high-speed trains, expanding the dark red line from three to four routes, procuring eight CNR special express trains, upgrading all northern region railway tracks, and having senior civil servants at level 9 and above take buses to work to report issues.
Prior to politics, Chadchart worked as a structural engineer in the private sector, then shifted to academia as an associate professor at Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Engineering and assistant rector for asset management. He also served as a board member of several state enterprises.
As an academic, Chadchart advised the Ministry of Transport during the Thaksin 2 and Samak governments. In Yingluck’s government, he was appointed Minister of Transport, gaining recognition for his work. After Yingluck’s government ended, he moved to real estate as CEO of Quality Houses Public Company Limited. He later resigned to run for Bangkok governor in 2022, serving nearly four full years before resigning to attend his son’s graduation and avoid being an acting governor, while preparing to run for a second term.
In early 2014, Chadchart, then Minister of Transport in Yingluck Shinawatra’s cabinet, gained widespread attention on social media after a photo circulated of him wearing a black sleeveless shirt, shorts, walking barefoot, carrying a bag of curry and sticky rice with grilled pork, walking with determination and muscular build while making merit at Wat Burapha Ram in Surin Province.
Netizens edited this image into humorous memes, joking about his immense strength resembling a cartoon or superhero, making it nationally viral. He was nicknamed “The Strongest Minister on Earth.” This nickname persisted into his tenure as Bangkok governor due to his lifestyle of waking at 4 a.m. to run, working vigorously, and visiting field sites without ceremony.
Near the end of his term as governor, Chadchart again became a viral meme when he opened the new section of Phran Nok–Phutthamonthon Sai 4 Road (between Phutthamonthon Sai 2 and 3) on 30 January 2026 to relieve traffic on Thonburi side. The event was simple with no large stage or ribbon-cutting ceremony.
At the opening, Chadchart simply said, “Let’s open it simply, Ao... Pued!” (shouting the signal). The entire opening ceremony lasted only three seconds before traffic was allowed immediately.
