Bangkok, January 6th, 2026 – General Prawit Wongsuwan, the 80-year-old veteran politician known as “Big Pom,” has resigned as leader of the Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP), with the party citing health concerns as the sole reason.
The resignation, signed on January 5th and announced on January 6th by deputy leader Paiboon Nititawan following an executive committee meeting, marks a large leadership transition for the conservative party ahead of the upcoming general election.
The committee unanimously appointed Treenuch Thienthong, the party’s secretary-general, as the new leader. Gen Prawit will remain involved in an advisory role as chairman of the party’s advisory board, providing guidance from behind the scenes.
Paiboon stated that the decision was driven exclusively by health issues and unrelated to other political factors.
This move follows Gen Prawit’s withdrawal from the party’s prime ministerial candidacy in late December 2025, also due to health reasons, when Treenuch replaced him as the top PM nominee for the 2026 election.
Gen Prawit, a former army chief and key figure in post-2014 coup governments, has led PPRP since its early days as a pro-military platform. The change comes as the party prepares for the national polls expected later this year.
For the original version of this article, please visit The Pattaya News.
