People's Power Party

The People's Power Party (PPP; , , ) is a defunct Thai political party. The party leader was Somchai Wongsawat, the Party Secretary General was Surapong Suebwonglee, and the Party Spokesperson was Kuthep Saikrajarng. Most MPs of the party originally hailed from the Thai Rak Thai Party and thus the party was its de facto reincarnation with former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra as its "leader." The PPP had a populist platform and was strong in the North, Central, and Northeastern regions of Thailand. The party became the leader of the coalition government after the junta-government supported 2007 general election. PAD, the leading anti-Thaksin movement, vowed to oppose it after the party decided to launch the amendment of the 2007 Constitution. In December 2008, the party came under fire as its deputy chairman, Yongyuth Tiyapairat, faced charges of electoral fraud concerning the 2007 general election. These charges led to its dissolution by the verdict of the Constitutional Court in December 2008. History The People's Power Party was founded on November 9, 1998 by Police Lieutenant Colonel Garn Tienkaew and existed as a minor party for some years, fielding a few candidates in the 2001, 2005 and 2006 elections. On 29 July 2007, some former Thai Rak Thai party (TRT) members, after the party was disbanded following a coup, agreed to contest the 2007 elections as candidates of the People's Power Party (PPP). This occurred after the Thai Rak Thai Party was dissolved by the Thai Supreme Court on May 30, 2007. It also follows the ban on participating in politics from 111 former TRT party politicians such as former leader Thaksin Shinawatra.