Nattapong opened the opposition leaders' forum, pointing to Senate election fraud as the start of a "country takeover," emphasizing that politics must make the impossible undeniable.
29 Aug 2026 GMT+7 Mr. Nattapong Ruangpanyawut, party-list Member of Parliament and leader of the People’s Party, serving as opposition leader in the House of Representatives, opened the opposition leaders' forum at the parliament following the Election Commission’s announcement to hold a vote on the Senate election rigging case on 14 Sep 2026. The forum included three former opposition leaders—Mr. Chaitawat Tulathon, Mr. Abhisit Vejjajiva, and Dr. Cholnan Srikaew—under the topic “Thai Politics in a Trust Crisis: The Truth Society Demands,” focusing especially on investigating the origin of Senate members and the work of independent agencies.
Mr. Nattapong said this forum was held about 100 days after he first communicated concerns about what is called the Blue Regime, agreeing with previous definitions that describe it as an authoritarian system, distinct from democracy which requires checks and balances and strong ties to the people.
“What we see today is independent agencies stemming from Senate members who may have been appointed through fraud, closely linked to the ruling coalition party. This is why I have pointed out since then that the Blue Regime is taking over the country.”
Mr. Nattapong continued that opinions expressed in previous opposition leader forums have aligned, showing that Senate election fraud is the starting point of the country’s takeover. Today’s forum marks another milestone opening space for former opposition leaders from various periods to raise a shared call for a democratic political system—not an authoritarian one dominated by a select group monopolizing the country.
Regarding the investigation into the Senate election, Mr. Nattapong said many believe prosecuting those involved in Senate election fraud is difficult or nearly impossible, especially as four of the seven Election Commission members were chosen by the current Senate, which includes individuals under investigation. This raises conflict of interest questions about expecting those appointed by accused parties to impartially judge whether fraud occurred.
He added that many politicians enter politics to make the impossible undeniable, because political work pushes society forward. If one remains stuck in old mindsets and views things as impossible, society cannot progress. “By holding forums like this regularly, we are making what seems impossible increasingly undeniable every day.”
The opposition leader further said that what must become undeniable includes witnesses willing to provide information about the Senate election fraud process, documentary evidence such as reservation slips, as well as clips and proof confirming the existence of places and events. He emphasized that the Election Commission’s current role is not to declare guilt or innocence; legally, if there is credible belief that fraud occurred, the Commission must forward the case to court.
“It is a good opportunity that the Election Commission postponed the vote to 14 September. We will use this forum to make what seems impossible increasingly undeniable.”