Local force to national player

One of the biggest surprises of the recent general election was the meteoric rise of the Klatham Party, which secured nearly 60 seats nationwide — an outcome no opinion polls had anticipated.

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Long perceived as a regional force anchored in Phayao, Klatham not only expanded far beyond its northern bastion but also pulled off upsets against heavyweight candidates in multiple provinces. The result has prompted a rapid reassessment of voter behaviour, alliance dynamics and the limits of pre-election polling in an increasingly fluid political landscape.

At first glance, Klatham's breakthrough appears to defy conventional explanations. The party home to roughly half the number of defectors from the once-mighty Palang Pracharath Party, which held some 40 MPs during the previous administration reportedly ran with abundant resources but scant nationwide brand recognition compared with established powerhouses, according to an observer.

Yet its candidates prevailed in constituencies where name recognition and party machinery were presumed decisive. The geographic spread of its victories from the North to parts of the Central Plains, the Northeast and the South suggests a broader realignment at work rather than a one-off protest vote. A leading theory gaining traction among analysts is that Klatham's surge came, in significant part, at the expense of its closest ideological ally: the Pheu Thai Party. The two share overlapping policy priorities, particularly on livelihoods, debt relief and grassroots development. Complicating matters further is the personal political history of Klatham leader Capt Thamanat Prompow, a veteran operator who once belonged to Pheu Thai's predecessor party and maintains deep networks among local canvassers and political brokers, the observer said.