User:S maps/2023 by-election in Rayong's 3rd constituency

A by-election will take place in Rayong's 3rd constituency on September 10, 2023, following the resignation of Nakhonchai Khunnarong.

Background
On July 26, 2023, Thai Liberal Party MP Sereepisuth Temeeyaves revealed that Nakhonchai had previously been imprisoned in for a year and six months in 1999 due to a theft case. As Article 98 of the 2017 constitution prohibits those who have previously been imprisoned from running to be an MP, Nakhonchai could face a jail term of one to ten years and a fine of 20,000 to 200,000 baht.

Nakhonchai announced his retirement in a Facebook post on July 27. In it, he claimed that he had been pressured into signing papers by the police without being aware that they were confession papers and that he did not believe his imprisonment disqualified him from running.

Candidates
On August 11, the Election Commission announced that the by-election would be held on September 10, 2023, and that candidate applications would be open from August 15 to 19. Three candidates registered for the by-election.

Phongsathorn Sornphetnarin, who had previously been a party-list candidate for the Move Forward Party during the general election, registered on August 15.

Banyat Chetanachan, who had been the Democrat Party's candidate for the constituency in the general election, announced his intention to contest the by-election on 3 August. He registered on August 16. It was also speculated that Satit Pitutecha, the deputy leader of the Democrat Party, would have been the party's candidate.

Ruangchai Sombatphoothon, who had been the Nation Building Labour Party's candidate for Rayong's 2nd constituency in the general election, registered for the by-election on August 19.