Bangkok: Bhumjaithai Party unveils its prospective MP candidates for Pattani District 1 and Songkhla District 9 as preparations for the upcoming elections intensify. The party expresses confidence in its candidates from the three southern border provinces to compete with former champions. It anticipates that candidates in the southern region will be nearly 100% ready by next week.

According to Thai News Agency, Pipat Ratchakitprakarn, a core leader of the Bhumjaithai Party responsible for the southern region, introduced Baharuddin Yusoh as a prospective candidate for Pattani Constituency 1. Pipat emphasized the party’s commitment to fielding candidates in all 400 constituencies for the 2026 election. Pattani province has candidates in three of its five constituencies, while Narathiwat has candidates in all five constituencies with hopes of winning two. Yala province has confirmed it will field candidates in all constituencies and has already launched one. The party is actively selecting candidates and ensuring their readiness, with support from local leaders like Baharuddin, who has backing from headmen of all ten subdistricts in Mueang District.

Pipat addressed the prospects of competing against reigning champions in the three southern border provinces, expressing confidence in the party’s ability to compete. He reiterated the party’s policy to strive for representation in every province, as directed by the party leader and executive committee.

For the southern region, Pipat stated that candidates have been finalized for 49 out of 59 districts across 14 provinces. The upcoming election will see a reduction from 60 to 59 districts due to population changes in Nakhon Si Thammarat. Discussions and candidate selection for the remaining 10 districts are ongoing, with assessments to determine the strongest candidates.

Baharuddin conveyed gratitude to the party leadership and Pipat for their trust, committing to fulfilling the party’s expectations in Pattani Province. Pipat also introduced Police Colonel Phithak Phutthawiro, known as Police Superintendent Aod, as a prospective candidate for Songkhla District 9. Aod, a party member since 2022, is rejoining to contribute to the Bhumjaithai Party’s vision. Songkhla Province, with nine districts, has candidates in seven, with more to be confirmed by the party’s general meeting on November 23.

Pipat emphasized the commitment of those who embrace the Bhumjaithai Party’s ideology and urged candidates to engage extensively with their communities. With elections approaching in March and limited time, the party aims for nearly full candidate readiness across the 59 southern provinces by November 23rd.

Addressing the challenge of attracting votes from large households in Songkhla, Pipat stated the party’s commitment to its “talk and act” ethos. He highlighted the importance of reflecting their promises and achievements to the electorate. As the Ministry of Transport oversees the area, Pipat aims to advance pending projects in the South, with intentions to meet the 2027 budget targets, hoping for enhanced development in the region.