Abstract:
This research examined and analyzed the mechanisms used to build and maintain electoral bases of the Thai Rak Thai Party, the Peoples Power Party, and the Pheu Thai Party in Chiang Rai Province. The study employed a qualitative methodology in collecting field data, conducting in-depth interviews with local key informants, and reviewing relevant literature and electoral statistic information. The research findings illustrated that the Thai Rak Thai Party, the Peoples Power Party, and the Pheu Thai Party have established and retained their respective electoral bases in Chiang Rai Province through four main mechanisms, namely party policies, party coordination centers, party candidates, and electoral canvassers. Attempts by the Thai Rak Thai Party in instituting these mechanisms with the purpose of devising a more directly connected, novel electoral base management system enabled them to secure seats in each electoral district of Chiang Rai Province from 2001 to 2011; nevertheless, each of the three parties had been faced with internal and external challenges. The internal challenges consist of idolization of party leaders and the influence of interest groups within the party, compromising candidate selection processes with partisanship among acquaintances of key figures, as well as limiting the role of party coordination centers by redirecting direct authority from the party towards specific candidates and MPs. The external challenges comprise party dissolution and coup d'états, both significantly hindering each partys development of their electoral base formation and maintenance mechanisms. In addition, the result also showed that the Pheu Thai Party choose to focus more on the immediate electoral victory rather than revamping the structure of party organization to promote inclusiveness and long-term political parties bases according to the Western concept of internal party democracy.