Zen Dai Party

Zen-dai Party
พรรคเส้นด้าย
LeaderChris Potanan
Secretary-GeneralPeeraphon Kanokvalai
FoundedThai Civil Power Party
10 August 2018
Zen-dai Party
19 February 2023
Split fromMove Forward Party
Preceded byZen-dai Group
Headquarters226/1 Phetkasem Road, Wat Tha Phra Subdistrict, Bangkok Yai District, Bangkok 10600
Ideology
Political positionCentre-right
Colours  Black
  Yellow
Bangkok Metropolitan Council
1 / 50
Website
zendaiparty.org

The Zen-dai Party (Thai: พรรคเส้นด้าย) is a minor libertarian political party in Thailand. It was originally established as the Thai Civil Power Party on 10 August 2018, registering as the 11th political party under the Organic Act on Political Parties of 2017.[1] The party was later renamed the Thai Citizen Power Party before adopting its current name and libertarian political orientation as the Zen-dai Party on 19 February 2023.[2]

History

Thai Civil Power Party

The Thai Civil Power Party was formed by former ministers and former MPs from all regions of the country, led by Mr. Samphan Lertnuwat, a former minister attached to the Prime Minister's Office, as the prospective party leader. Other founding members included several former ministers, such as Mr. Ekkaporn Rakkhamsuk and Mr. Piyanat Watcharapon.[3]

The party held its first general meeting on Sunday, April 29, 2018, at 13:30 at the Miracle Grand Hotel.[4] Mr. Samphan Lertnuwat was elected as the first party leader, and Mr. Ekkaporn Rakkhamsuk was elected as the first party secretary-general, along with five deputy party leaders. Ms. Silumpa Lertnuwat was appointed as the deputy secretary-general.[5] Mr. Samphan and his team officially submitted the registration for the establishment of the Thai Civil Power Party on Tuesday, May 22, 2018.[6] The Election Commission registered the Thai Civil Power Party as the 4th political party of 2018 on Friday, August 10, 2018, and it was published in the Royal Gazette on Thursday, September 13, 2018.[7]

Thai Citizen Power Party

Later, the Thai Civil Power Party held an extraordinary general meeting (3/2018) on December 10, 2018, where it was resolved to change the party's name to Thai Citizen Power Party.[8] Mr. Samphan Lertnuwat continued to serve as the party leader. Subsequently, Mr. Samphan decided to resign from his positions as party leader and party member. He took his daughter, Silumpa, who was the party's only MP, to join the United Thai Nation Party after the party's executive committee resolved to expel them on February 8, 2023.[9]

Zen-dai Party

After Mr. Samphan Lertnuwat resigned as the party leader, the Thai Citizen Power Party held an annual general meeting to elect a new executive committee on February 19, 2023.[10][11] The meeting elected Chris Potanan, a former founder of the Future Forward Party, as the new party leader and changed the party's name to Zen-dai Party.[9] The Zen-dai Party held its first public rally on Sunday, March 5, 2023.[12]

Economic Party

Chris Potanan, leader of the Zen Dai Party, announced his resignation as party leader on April 25, 2025, to pave the way for a new leader to be elected at the party's general meeting the following day.[13] The party's meeting changed its name to the Economic Party and elected a new party executive committee. The meeting resolved to appoint General Rangsi Kitiyanathap, former director-general of the Royal Thai Army Radio and Television Station, to the position of party leader, while Chris Potanan moved to the position of party chairman, while the party secretary-general remains Peerapol Kanokwanlai. The Economic Party will propose THE FINAL EXIT policy to revive the Thai economy. As a result of the Thai economy entering a prolonged recession, businesses are closing down, bad debts are accumulating, and people's incomes are falling. The Economic Party has proposed 4 main policies to urgently revive the country, including:

  1. MEGA PROJECT INFRASTRUCTURE elevates Thailand to become a global logistics hub through a high-speed rail network connecting Laos-Thailand-Myanmar-India-Malaysia-Singapore, covering a population of over 1.7 billion people.
  2. OCEAN LINK STRATEGY Unlocks Marine Potential, Drives Oceanside Industrial-Agricultural Zones, Attracts Investment from BRICS, Targets Average Income of Citizens to Reach $20,000/Year in 10 Years.
  3. ZERO CORRUPTION proposes a new anti-corruption law, with the highest penalty being death penalty, and execution within 1 year after the Supreme Court's verdict, to increase transparency in administration.
  4. JUSTICE SYSTEM REFORM Reform the justice system, separate arrest from investigation, break the cycle of systematic crime, and unlock economic barriers.

The party's long-term goal is to have Thai people earn an average of 50,000 baht per month within 16 years and push the economy to grow by an average of 6.5% per year to elevate Thailand to a fully developed country.[14]

Political Role

In the 2019 Thai general election, the Thai Citizen Power Party had one party-list MP, Silumpa Lertnuwat.

After changing to the **Zen-dai Party**, one member of the Bangkok Metropolitan Council from the Move Forward Party, Peeraphon Kanokvalai, joined the Zen-dai Party and also served as its secretary-general.

In the 2023 Thai general election, the Zen-dai Party announced its candidacy primarily in the Bangkok area, contesting in 20 districts and fielding 11 party-list candidates.[15] Some candidates had previously run for the Bangkok Metropolitan Council under the Move Forward Party but were not elected.

Party Ideology

The Zen-dai Party's policies, as announced on their website,[16] support economic freedom through free market policies, free trade, tax rate reductions, and downsizing the state in line with Chicago School of Economics principles.[17] The party's social and political policies focus on reducing and eliminating cronyism in society and promoting democracy without relying on power structures established for the benefit of a select few.[18]

Party Personnel

Party Leaders

Thai Civil Power Party
No. Name Start End
1 Samphan Lertnuwat 10 August 2018 10 December 2018
Thai Citizen Power Party
2 Ekkaporn Rakkhamsuk 10 December 2018 6 February 2019
- Silumpa Lertnuwat 6 February 2019
(Acting)
15 September 2019
(1) Samphan Lertnuwat 15 September 2019 8 February 2023
Zen-dai Party
3 Chris Potanan 19 February 2023 Present

Party Secretaries

Thai Civil Power Party
No. Name Start End
1 Ekkaporn Rakkhamsuk 10 August 2018 10 December 2018
Thai Citizen Power Party
(1) Ekkaporn Rakkhamsuk 10 December 2018 6 February 2019
- Somkiat Watthanasirichai 6 February 2019
(Acting)
15 September 2019
2 Silumpa Lertnuwat 15 September 2019 8 February 2023
Zen-dai Party
3 Peeraphon Kanokvalai 19 February 2023 Present

General Election Results

Election Number of Seats Total Votes Vote Share Seat Change Election Outcome Election Leader
Thai Citizen Power Party
2019
1 / 500
44,961 0.13% Increase 1 Joined Government Samphan Lertnuwat
Zen-dai Party
2023
0 / 500
10,410 Decrease 1 Not Elected Chris Potanan

See also

References

  1. ^ กกต.เปิดวันแรกคึก30กลุ่มการเมืองแห่จองชื้อจัดตั้งพรรค โพสต์ทูเดย์, March 2, 2018
  2. ^ The Election Commission opens the first day, 30 political groups rush to reserve names for establishing parties Post Today, March 2, 2018
  3. ^ Former MPs form Thai Civil Power Party to contest elections Post Today, 30 January 2018
  4. ^ Touched by the NCPO! 'Sia Ting' declares no need to unlock, schedules Thai Civil Power Party meeting for April 29
  5. ^ Thai Civil Power Party holds general meeting, Samphan reiterates support for any PM who complies with the constitution
  6. ^ 'Sia Ting' leads members in registering the establishment of the Thai Civil Power Party, with 676 founding members
  7. ^ Announcement of the Registrar of Political Parties regarding the registration of the establishment of the Thai Civil Power Party
  8. ^ Extraordinary General Meeting of the Thai Civil Power Party 3/2018 Royal Gazette, 22 Mar 2019
  9. ^ a b "UTN" gains an MP after "Silumpa" joins - "Chris" appointed to oversee "PTP"
  10. ^ "Samphan" leaves "Thai Citizen Power Party," Silumpa prepares to run as MP with a major party
  11. ^ "Samphan Lertnuwat" brings daughter "Silumpa" to join "UTN" to support "Prayut" as PM, "Ekanat" prepares to go to the South for discussions with "Big Family of Narathiwat," aiming for a clean sweep of 4 districts
  12. ^ Election 2023: Huai Khwang residents show support for "Chris Potanan" of the Zen-dai Party
  13. ^ ""คริส" ทิ้งเก้าอี้หัวหน้าพรรคเส้นด้าย เปิดทางสู่การเปลี่ยนแปลงภายในพรรค" ["Chris" leaves the position of leader of the Zen Dai Party, paving the way for changes within the party]. thaitv5hd.com. Retrieved 2025-04-28.
  14. ^ ""เส้นด้าย" เปิดทาง! พลิกโฉมสู่ "พรรคเศรษฐกิจ"" ["Zen Dai" paves the way! Transforming into an "Economic Party"]. thaitv5hd.com. Retrieved 2025-04-28.
  15. ^ "Zen-dai Party, Policies, Election 2023, Party Information, Candidates for Constituency and Party-List MPs". vote62.com (in Thai).[permanent dead link]
  16. ^ "Zen-dai Party". zendaiparty.org.
  17. ^ "Chris Potanan - Chris Potranandana". www.facebook.com (in Thai). (Discussing main party policies and responding to questions in comments)
  18. ^ "Zen-dai Party". zendaiparty.org.

 

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