A Study of the Local Political and the Local Politicians in Nongbualamphu Province

Abstract

The objectives of this study are to study Nongbualamphu Province’s local politics and local influential persons who have been elected in the area since the province has been established as well as the election campaigns they have used. The approach adopted in the research is qualitative via interview and participant observation during April-September 2012 then tested the validity and classified the collected data. From the research findings, there are four types of local influential persons which are local politicians, local businessmen, local government officers and local political successor from their family members. From the Nongbualamphu Province’s history, it has seven members of the House of Representative. Mr. Kittisakdi Hathasongkorh was elected 13 times which was the longest in the position, followed Mr. Chaiya Promma was elected 8 times and Mr. Wichai Samitr was elected 5 times. There have been five senators who had been elected from Nongbualamphu. They all were in the position only one time. The parties which are popular and have important roles in Nongbualamphu’s local politics since B.E.2538 until 2544 are New aspiration party, Social action party and National development party. However, from B.E. 2544 to now, Thai Rak Thai Party or parties that supported by Dr. Thaksin Shinawatra including the later found parties such as People ‘s Power Party and Pheu Thai Party have gained high popularity. There are variety of election campaigns and strategies used by the local politicians such as making a speech, using loud-speaker car campaign, buying votes, joining community’s activities and having village’s election canvassers. They also utilize interest groups relationship and informal groups such as family, relatives, friends, local officials’ network, local people and local red shirt people to receive political support for the local politician. The research’s recommendation for the future study is that there should be the seminar on Nongbualamphu’s political history to seek for more comprehensive information. This kind of research should be done continuously because the political situation there has been changed all the time. The future study should concern about the role of Thai Rak Thai Party and other parties related to Dr.Thaksin Shinnawatra such as People ‘s Power Party and Pheu Thai Party as well as red shirt group in the area so that the study could provide more comprehensive view of local politics and local political influencers in Nongbualamphu.