Building supporter networks in Thai local elections is a strategic mechanism through which candidates broaden political bases, mobilize participation, and improve electoral viability. This study empirically examines the concepts, necessity, principles, strategies, and success factors of supporter-network construction in Thailand today. The inquiry is framed by social capital theory (bonding/bridging ties), political mobilization, and local patronage/clientelism, which shaped the interview guide and the interpretation of findings. Methodologically, the research employs a qualitative design integrating a focused literature review with in-depth, semi-structured interviews. The review mapped key constructs (actors, resources, ties, and communication flows) and informed an initial codebook. Key informants with direct campaign experience were purposively recruited, including campaign coordinators, community leaders, grassroots communicators, and local business elites. Interviews explored recruitment, role allocation, message diffusion, resource mobilization, and mechanisms for maintaining trust. Transcripts were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke) to generate themes and compare them iteratively with the theoretical framework. Findings indicate that network building is shaped by Thailand’s localized power ecology: strong kinship ties, influential business elites, community leadership, communicators, and interest groups enable rapid circulation of campaign information and coordinated voter turnout. Effective networks rely on trust building, continuous two-way communication, clear role division, and responsiveness to local concerns. Strategies include leveraging respected intermediaries, integrating digital media with on-the-ground activities, forming community-based campaign teams, and reinforcing political branding and identity. The study offers practical guidelines for designing sustainable local campaigns and highlights kinship-centered networking as a distinctive feature for comparative electoral communication research.

Authors:
Kritsada Phanbamrung, Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University, Thailand
Wittayatorn Tokeaw, Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University, Thailand
Karn Boonsiri, Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University, Thailand

About the Presenter(s)
Mr.Kritsada Phanbamrung CEO​ of CCTV (Thailand) Co.,Ltd.,I would like to present Designing Vision and Policies,Local Development,Election Campaign, Mayor,Surat Progressive Team This research aimed to study the design of the vision and development This research aimed to study the design of the vision and local development policies for the mayoral election campaign in Surat Thani Municipality by the “Surat Progressive Team.” The study focuses on three aspects: (1) the conceptual foundation of designing, (2) the strategies used to design, and (3) the use of words and phrases in communicating. This qualitative research employed content analysis of campaign-related policy documents from the Surat Progressive Team, the electoral winner in 2025, Data collection along with in-depth interviews with key informants directly involved in the vision and policies design process.

Additional website of interest
https://www.facebook.com/share/17PPWMubrx/

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