'Chaiwat' Appoints 'Surapol' as Advisor, Citing Legal Expertise

Khaosod•Politics•23d ago

Reader Briefing

Chaiwat Sathawarawijit defends the appointment of Surapol Nitikraipoj as a Bangkok gubernatorial advisor, emphasizing legal expertise and experience over political expediency.

•Chaiwat Sathawarawijit, a Bangkok gubernatorial candidate for the People's Party, appointed Surapol Nitikraipoj, a former rector of Thammasat University and former senator, as head of his gubernatorial strategy team.
•The appointment is attributed to Surapol's extensive experience in managing large organizations, such as Bangkok Metropolitan Administration entities and Navaminthra University.
•Chaiwat insists the decision is based solely on Surapol's qualifications and experience in public law and organizational management, not on gaining votes or retribution for past actions.
•The party aims to gain broader support by convincing those with differing views to support their policies for Thailand's advancement.

Overview

•On June 3, 2026, Chaiwat Sathawarawijit, Bangkok gubernatorial candidate for the People's Party, explained the reasoning for appointing Surapol Nitikraipoj as an advisor.
•The appointment of Surapol Nitikraipoj was due to Surapol's extensive knowledge, experience, and ability in managing large organizations like the Bangkok Mass Transit System (BMA) and Navaminthra University.
•Surapol Nitikraipoj previously served as the rector of Thammasat University and a member of the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) in 2006.
•Chaiwat Sathawarawijit stated that the decision was based purely on Surapol's ability and experience in managing large government organizations and state enterprises.
•Chaiwat Sathawarawijit clarified that the appointment was not a reward for Surapol's testimony in the Move Forward Party dissolution case.
•Chaiwat Sathawarawijit aims to convert individuals with differing views into supporters by convincing them of the People's Party policies for social progress.
•Chaiwat Sathawarawijit emphasized that the decision was made collectively by the party's executive team, including the policy team for Bangkok's strategy.
•Chaiwat Sathawarawijit reiterated that the focus was on Surapol's recognized expertise in public law, not on gaining electoral votes.

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Key Quotes

Chaiwat Sathawarawijit

"We are not looking at votes or anything, I am telling you honestly. The individual's ability and beneficial experience, both in managing Bangkok and in the use of public law."

เราไม่ได้มองเรื่องคะแนนเสียงหรืออะไร เราเรียนไปตามตรง อย่างที่ผมได้บอกไปจริงๆ ความสามารถของบุคคล และประสบการณ์ที่เป็นประโยชน์ ทั้งการบริหารกรุงเทพมหานคร และการใช้กฎหมายมหาชน

Chaiwat Sathawarawijit

"We will change this group of people to become our supporters, to agree in pushing policies, pushing society, so that Thai society progresses with us."

เราจะเปลี่ยนคนกลุ่มนี้ให้มาเป็นผู้สนับสนุนเรา ให้เห็นด้วยในการผลักดันนโยบาย ผลักดันสังคม ให้สังคมไทยก้าวหน้าไปพร้อมกับเรา

Key Entities

Person

Chaiwat Sathawarawijit(ชัยวัฒน์ สถาวรวิจิตร)

Bangkok gubernatorial candidate for the People's Party.

Surapol Nitikraipoj(สุรพล นิติไกรพจน์)

Appointed advisor to the Bangkok gubernatorial candidate, former rector of Thammasat University, and former member of the National Legislative Assembly (2006).

Organization

People's Party(พรรคประชาชน)

The political party fielding Chaiwat Sathawarawijit for the Bangkok gubernatorial election.

Thammasat University(มหาวิทยาลัยธรรมศาสตร์)ℹ️

University where Surapol Nitikraipoj previously served as rector.

National Legislative Assembly (NLA)(สภานิติบัญญัติแห่งชาติ (สนช.))ℹ️

Legislative body in which Surapol Nitikraipoj was a member in 2006.

Bangkok Mass Transit System (BMA)(บริษัทกรุงเทพธนาคม)

An organization within the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration for which Surapol Nitikraipoj's experience is deemed valuable.

Navaminthra University(มหาวิทยาลัยนวมินทราธิราช)

A university affiliated with the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration that benefits from Surapol Nitikraipoj's management experience.

Timeline

June 3, 2026(3 มิถุนายน 2026)

The date of the press conference where Chaiwat Sathawarawijit provided explanations.

June 2(2 มิ.ย.)

The date Surapol Nitikraipoj was officially introduced.

2006

The year Surapol Nitikraipoj served as a member of the National Legislative Assembly.