He was part of Thailand’s electrifying “orange wave” in 2023 — a political storm that swept idealistic newcomers into parliament.

But just three years later, Chutiphong Pipoppinyo has been swept out himself, defeated by the entrenched power of a political dynasty in his home province of Rayong.

“One time I went to a children’s day fair and found myself sitting next to another politician,” he recalled. “He was holding a stack of 100 baht notes to hand out to the children, while I had come empty-handed. How could I compete with that?”

In 2023, the progressive Move Forward party stunned Thailand by winning more seats than any other party.

Chutiphong rode that wave to victory in Rayong, part of the country’s vital Eastern Economic Corridor and home to factories powering Thailand’s export economy.

This year, renamed as the People’s Party, they crashed back to earth.

Preliminary results show a drop of more than 20% in seats for the progressives. Meanwhile, the conservative Bhumjaithai party surged from 71 seats in 2023 to an estimated 193 in the 500-seat parliament.

In Rayong, the powerful Pitutecha family — a classic example of Thailand’s “Baan Yai” or “big house” politics — reclaimed ground they had held for decades.

After his 2023 win, Chutiphong says he threw himself into constituency work. But he quickly ran into a wall of expectations — and money.

Invited to a women’s empowerment event, he was told he needed to donate 25,000 baht to attend. He said he did not have the funds. “They were very unhappy,” he said. “They said I was cold-hearted… they never spoke to me again.”

Rayong’s politics have long been dominated by the Pitutecha clan.

Piya “Chang” Pitutecha heads the Provincial Administration Organisation, which controls most government spending in the province. Family members have represented five different parties over the years and remain prominent in local business.

They rely on dense networks of canvassers and, although officially banned, the distribution of money during and after elections has long been a feature of provincial politics.

Chutiphong tried a different approach.

“If your water doesn’t run, your electricity isn’t on, your road has potholes, I would be there,” he said.

But villagers who sought his help faced backlash from local networks, he claims.

Some were criticised in village chat groups or over loudspeakers for bringing in an “outsider”.

By 2026, the Pitutechas had regrouped.

Younger, university-educated candidates were fielded in Districts 3 and 4.

In District 4, 34-year-old Chatchai Pitutecha ran under Prime Minister Anutin Charvirakul’s Bhumjaithai party — known for its resources and success in aligning with “Baan Yai” families.

The result: both seats flipped back from the People’s Party, though progressives held three of Rayong’s five constituencies.

“They would have welcomed me if I had given them money,” Chutiphong said. “I had to decide whether I would keep my principles… The election results have shown that they didn’t buy it.”

Political scientist Olarn Thinbangtieo says “Baan Yai” politics has recovered strongly in eastern Thailand.

Under Thailand’s centralised system, he argues, villagers depend on patronage networks to access resources and security.

In Bangkok and Chiang Mai, however, the People’s Party dominated, winning every seat in the capital and sweeping the second-largest city.

They also secured the largest share of the nationwide party-list vote.

But with 80% of MPs elected on a constituency basis, the old families still hold the keys to power in much of provincial Thailand.

For outsiders like Chutiphong, the lesson is stark: ideals may surge — but patronage still rules.

Key Takeaways

• The People’s Party lost more than 20% of its seats in 2026.

• Rayong’s powerful Pitutecha clan reclaimed key constituencies.

• Urban voters backed reformers, but provincial patronage networks prevailed.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cg4gxng2y4xo

Educated young progressives vs old, canny dinosaurs.