Nitipoom Navaratna - Political Career

Political Career

Nitipoom used to run in the Bangkok gubernatorial election, 2004. He failed, received 135,369 votes. Later, in 2006 Thai senator election, Nitipoom was a senatorial candidate for Bangkok area and received most votes among Bangkok candidates, 257,420 votes. However, then Thai Rak Thai Party deputy spokesman Jatuporn Prompan called for the disqualification because he spoke at People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) rallies to oust then Prime Minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, and distributed anti-privatization CDs on the Argentinean experience during the rallies, which gaining unfair publicity. However, he did not assume office due to 2006 Thai coup d'état. After the coup, Nitipoom was appointed from Council for National Security to be a member of National Legislative Assembly (NLA).

In July 2007, Thai Rak Thai Party and Thaksin Shinawatra's lawyer claimed Nitipoom as witness for a Finland Plot case against professor Pramote Nakornthab to criminal court and People's Power Party unveiled potential MP candidates for Bangkok in Thai general election, 2007 - including Natipoom Navaratna but faced strong protest especially from PAD, so they moved to be a candidate for Puea Pandin Party instead. Nitipoom resigned as a member of NLA to be a Puea Pandin Party MP candidate for Bangkok Constituency 7 (Bang Kapi District, Saphan Sung District, Min Buri District and Lat Krabang District) but received less popularity and failed.

In 2008, Nitipoom registered Suvarnabhumi Party which he was party leader. But he resigned from the post one year later, which stopped the Party activities. In 2011, Chalerm Yubamrung, then Pheu Thai Party MP, said he planned to invite Nitipoom Navaratna to join the party. Nitipoom has applied to be on Pheu Thai's party-list proportional representation candidate to contest Thai general election, 2011.