The New Force Party (Thai: พรรคพลังใหม่, RTGS: Phak Phalang Mai) was a political party in Thailand. It was founded in 1974, following the successful democratic uprising of October 1973. The New Force Party was one of the more successful left-wing parties during the relatively progressive and democratic phase from 1974 to 1976.
Progressive liberal[1][2] and reformist in its stances, it was considered more moderate than the Socialist Party of Thailand.[3] In the 1975 general election, the first free election after long military dictatorship, the party won 6.0% of the votes and 12 of 269 seats in the House of Representatives. The new leftist parties, together with the long-standing liberal Democrat Party, were placed on the opposition benches.[3]
In the run-up to the 1976 election, the party was harassed by its right-wing adversaries. The party's office was attacked and candidates were assassinated by the far-right and military-backed Red Gaurs paramilitary.[4] Its right-wing opponents accused the New Force Party of siding with the communists in Vietnam and Laos,[5] of having received 152 million baht from the KGB, and of having leaders of Vietnamese descent.[6] The party could stabilize its share of the votes at 6.8%, but only three of its candidates were successful in their respective constituencies.
After the democracy movement was shattered in the Thammasat University massacre on 6 October 1976, the role of the New Force Party was gradually diminished to a tiny splinter party. In the 1979 election, it won 2.8% of votes and 8 of 301 seats (mostly representing constituencies in Northeastern Thailand). After the 1983 election, New Force was extraparliamentary, after 1986 it held a sole seat in parliament. The party was replaced by the "Social Democratic Force Party" on 26 March 1988,[7] which remained electorally unsuccessful.