Chamlong Srimuang - Governor of Bangkok and Leader of The Palang Dharma Party

Governor of Bangkok and Leader of The Palang Dharma Party

Chamlong ran for governor as an independent, supported by an organization calling itself Ruam Phalang (United Force), made up mostly of volunteers from Santi Asoke. He ran based on promises of integrity and anti-corruption. The campaign relied heavily on inexpensive posters and door-to-door visits, in contrast to more traditional giant posters and political rallies. Chamlong's candidacy was belittled by the then Democrat Party leader Pichai Rattakul, as "sidewalk" ware, while the Democrat incumbent was likened as "department store" ware. Chamlong won the election with half a million votes, twice as much as his most popular competitor, incumbent Chana Rungsaeng.

As Governor, Chamlong reopened bidding for several city projects. He claimed that the lower cost of new bids saved the city 80 million THB (nearly USD $3 million). He also persuaded city street sweepers to sweep streets for the entire day, rather than just during the morning. In addition, Chamlong encouraged road-side hawkers, technically illegal, to stop selling their wares once a week on Wednesdays. His anti-poverty projects included paving footpaths in squatter communities and establishing a chain of thrift stores for the poor.

In 1988, Chamlong established the Palang Dharma (Moral Force) Party (PDP) to contest nationwide parliamentary elections. Chamlong himself remained in the governorship of Bangkok, while a huge slate of 318 PDP candidates contested for seats across the nation. Half of the PDP's candidates were Santi Asoke devotees (sometimes referred to as the "temple faction"), and the party’s ideological platform clearly reflected Santi Asoke teachings. However, some key posts went to outsiders (referred to as the "political faction"), including the post of Secretary-General, which went to Dr Udomsilp Srisaengnam.

The PDP provoked much criticism, most of it aimed at Chamlong and Santi Asoke. Chamlong was accused of playing an active role in the student massacres of 1976 (charges which he denied). Santi Asoke was accused of being an illegal sect with heretical teachings.

The election was a disappointment for the PDP. Only fourteen candidates won seats: ten in Bangkok and four in the provinces. Santi Asoke candidates fared particularly poorly. As a result of the 1988 elections, Chamlong’s former patron, Prem Tinsulanonda, was replaced as Prime Minister by Chatichai Choonhavan, leader of the Chart Thai Party.

It was widely speculated that Secretary-General Udomsilp wanted to join Chatichai's government coalition, where he had been promised the Ministry of Public Health. Chamlong declared that he would rather dissolve the party than let Udomsilp succeed. Udomsilp later resigned as PDP Secretary-General and was succeeded by Vinai Sompong, Chamlong's personal secretary. Thus began a decade long division between the "temple faction" and the "political faction" that would forever plague the PDP.

Chatichai’s government reopened investigations into Santi Asoke, which led to a decision by the Supreme Council of the Sangha to defrock Phothirak. Phothirak sidestepped the defrocking by abandoning his yellow robes for white ones and refraining from calling himself a monk. In 2007/8 Santi Asoke monks present themselves in brown robes again. Apart from Bhotirak many of them were ordained in the orthodox way before they joined Santi Asoke; they remain monks, albeit without the "monks' pass" issued by the monastic hierarchy.

In the 1990 re-elections for the governorship of Bangkok, Chamlong gained 62% of all votes, twice as many as his most popular rival. In the 1990 election for the Bangkok City Council, the PDP won by a landslide, with 49 out of 55 seats.