Chart Pattana Party (2007)

The Chart Pattana Party^[1] (Thai: พรรคชาติพัฒนา, English: National Development Party) is a Thai political party. The chairman of the party is Wannarat Channukul. His brother-in-law, the party's "chief advisor" Suwat Liptapanlop is however considered its de facto leader.^[2]

It was founded under the name of Ruam Jai Thai Chart Pattana ("Thais United National Development Party") as a merger of Thais United and the former National Development Party in September 2007.^[3] In the Thai general election, 2007, the party received enough votes to gain eight out of 480 seats in the House of Representatives of Thailand. After 2008, the party was a member of the six-party coalition government led by the Democrat Party's leader, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva. The party's leader Wannarat Channukul was Minister of Energy in Abhisit's cabinet. The party name was shortened to Ruam Chart Pattana.

In 2011, the Ruam Chart Pattana Party merged with the Puea Pandin Party^[4] and changed its name to Chart Pattana Puea Pandin.^[5] In the election on 3 July 2011, the party won 7 of the 500 seats in the House of Representatives, five constituency-based and two on the party list. Four of its constituencies are in Nakhon Ratchasima, the party's stronghold and home province of its leaders. After the elections and Pheu Thai Party's victory, the party agreed with Pheu Thai and three other minor parties to form a coalition government under the leadership of Yingluck Shinawatra. Later in 2011, the party name was again simplified to its current version.

Thai tennis player Paradorn Srichaphan^[6][7] an taekwando athlete Yaowapa Boorapolchai joined the Chart Pattana Party to run in the 2011 elections.^[8][9]

Sophon Kaosoo, 50, a Laem Kaen Pattana Party candidate was killed while campaigning in the local council elections, due to take place on March 2, 2014. Police believe that the assassination was most likely politically motivated.^[10]

References

1. ↑ ประกาศนายทะเบียนพรรคการเมือง เรื่อง ตอบรับการเปลี่ยนแปลงชื่อ ภาพเครื่องหมาย ที่ตั้ง นโยบาย ข้อบังคับ และคณะกรรมการบริหารของพรรคชาติพัฒนาเพื่อแผ่นดิน [Political parties registrar announcement Re: Response for changing name, logo, address, policies, regulations and executives of Chart Pattana Puea Pandin Party] (pdf). Royal Thai Government Gazette (in Thai). 128 (part 179 D): 121. 29 August 2011. Retrieved 1 December 2012. 
2. ↑ "Phalang Chon eyes sports portfolio". Bangkok Post. 6 July 2011. 
3. ↑ 2 Thai political groups merge for co-founding new party, People's Daily Online, 14 Sep 2007
4. ↑ "Puea Pandin, Ruam Chart Pattana mull merger", The Nation, 21 Dec 2010, retrieved 7 July 2011 
5. ↑ "Ruam Chart Pattana to be renamed", Bangkok Post, 7 April 2011, retrieved 7 July 2011 
6. ↑ "Ex-tennis superstar Paradorn joins Chart Pattana Puea Pandin", The Thai Financial Post, 11 April 2011 
7. ↑ "Former tennis star Paradorn all set to court voters at poll", Bangkok Post, 12 April 2011 
8. ↑ "All the talk's about jocks", The Nation, 15 May 2011 
9. ↑ "Give Thailand's sports stars a chance in election", Bangkok Post, 20 April 2011 
10. ↑ "Phang Nga politician assassinated", The Phuket News, 19 Feb 2014 

Political parties in Thailand
Represented in Parliament (last session, 2011–14)	Pheu Thai Party (265) Democrat Party (159) Bhumjaithai Party (34) Chartthaipattana Party (19) Chart Pattana Puea Pandin Party (7) Phalang Chon Party (7) Rak Thailand Party (4) Mahachon Party (1) Rak Santi Party (1) New Democracy Party (1)
Extra-parliamentary	Pracharaj Party Social Action Party New Politics Party New Aspiration Party New Force Party
Defunct parties	Khana Ratsadon Socialist Party of Thailand Social Justice Party Justice Unity Party Palang Dharma Party Thais United National Development Party Puea Pandin Party
Dissolved or Banned parties	Communist Party of Thailand Thai Rak Thai Party People's Power Party Thai Nation Party Neutral Democratic Party
Portal:Politics List of political parties Politics of Thailand