Thai party fields transgender candidate for prime minister

As Pinit Ngarmpring, he was a CEO and sports promoter, well known in the world of Thai soccer. Now, under her preferred new name of Pauline Ngarmpring, she's pursuing a bid to become the country's first transgender prime minister.

The 52-year-old is one of three candidates put forward by a political party for the post in next month's general election.

She says she wants her nomination to bring hope to the marginalized and to open up political space for future generations of LGBT people.

In this Thursday, Feb. 14, 2019, photo, Pauline Ngarmpring poses for a photograph at the Mahachon party head office in Bangkok, Thailand. As Pinit Ngarmpring, he was a CEO and sports promoter, well known in the world of Thai soccer. Now, under her preferred new name of Pauline Ngarmpring, she's pursuing a bid to become the country's first transgender prime minister. (AP PhotoGemunu Amarasinghe)

With over a month to go before the March 24 polling day, she campaigned this week in one of Bangkok's more infamous nightlife areas.

Many vulnerable or exploited people work in this twilight zone of go-go bars, cheap hotels and massage parlors. It's exactly the constituency the Mahachon party seeks to represent, and she's eager to hear their concerns.

"Our welfare, mostly. Health," masseuse Wassana Sorsawang says are her concerns, as she stands outside a shop in an alley off the street. She complains that she and her colleagues often work double shifts, and it affects their health.

In this Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2019, photo, Pauline Ngarmpring, a transgender person and a prime minister candidate in the upcoming Thai general election, speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in Bangkok, Thailand. As Pinit Ngarmpring, he was a CEO and sports promoter, well known in the world of Thai soccer. Now, under her preferred new name of Pauline Ngarmpring, she's pursuing a bid to become the country's first transgender prime minister. (AP PhotoGemunu Amarasinghe)

The Mahachon party is contesting some 200 seats in the 500-member House of Representatives. About 20 of the candidates are openly LGBT. Pauline joined only last November. Now, as their second-ranked nominee for prime minister, she finds herself a political trailblazer, a unique symbol of the fight for equality.

It's fine, she said, even if she cannot achieve her goal of becoming prime minister "because I am the first one who dares enough to announce . 'hey, we can do it!'"

"We are not saying we are better than male or female," she said. "We just want to say we are equal."

In this Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2019, photo, Pauline Ngarmpring, right, a transgender person and a prime minister candidate, and Namklenginarin, center, a candidate for the parliament, both representing the Mahachon party for the upcoming Thai general election, greet people during an election campaign in Bangkok, Thailand. As Pinit Ngarmpring, he was a CEO and sports promoter, well known in the world of Thai soccer. Now, under her preferred new name of Pauline Ngarmpring, she's pursuing a bid to become the country's first transgender prime minister. (AP PhotoGemunu Amarasinghe)

Until three years ago, Pauline was Pinit: a father of two, a reporter turned businessman who became well known by founding a soccer fan association that became influential in Thai sporting circles.

Since her gender transition she's made it her mission, she said, to educate society. Her new political role gives her the perfect platform to counter those who still view LGBT rights — and her candidacy — with skepticism.

"Nowadays people say, 'Oh you are transgender? You want to become our prime minister. It's going to be funny, it is going to be a very strange story,'" she said.

In this Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2019, photo, a transgender person and a prime minister candidate Pauline Ngarmpring, center, and house candidate Namklenginarin, right, both representing the Mahachon party for the upcoming general election, greet people during an election campaign in Bangkok, Thailand. As Pinit Ngarmpring, he was a CEO and sports promoter, well known in the world of Thai soccer. Now, under her preferred new name of Pauline Ngarmpring, she's pursuing a bid to become the country's first transgender prime minister. (AP PhotoGemunu Amarasinghe)

"But I don't think that way," she said. "Whatever you are, you have your value. You love yourself and then you share with people."

The party hopes its human rights-based agenda will appeal in particular to Thailand's large LGBT and sex worker population. One policy is to legalize prostitution.

The result, Pauline says, could be up to 10 lawmakers in Parliament, thanks to a new electoral system that allocates some of the seats through proportional representation.

In this Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2019, photo, Pauline Ngarmpring center, a transgender person and a prime minister candidate of the Mahachon party for the upcoming general election, greets people during an election campaign in Bangkok, Thailand. As Pinit Ngarmpring, he was a CEO and sports promoter, well known in the world of Thai soccer. Now, under her preferred new name of Pauline Ngarmpring, she's pursuing a bid to become the country's first transgender prime minister. (AP PhotoGemunu Amarasinghe)

But, even given the country's traditionally accepting view of sexual fluidity, she knows she is not destined to lead the country.

"I will not be a prime minister. But it doesn't matter. It will take some time and it is not going to be the end of the world after the next election," she said.

"It doesn't have to be me. It can be the next generation."

DETROIT (AP) — The Oakland Athletics no longer have to wonder where they'll play the next few seasons. That won't make the long goodbye any easier.

The A's reacted to the announcement that this will be their last year in Oakland with a mixture of sadness and relief.

“At least as a player, you know where you’re headed,” outfielder Seth Brown said Friday before a game against the Tigers in Detroit. “There’s obviously a lot of moving parts, a lot of stuff we’re not privy to, so it’s just been kind of a waiting game on our end. Where are we going to go? Where are we going to be? So I think just having that knowledge -- at least we know where we’re going to be playing next year.”

Vivek Ranadivé, who owns the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats, and Oakland Athletics owner John Fisher announced Thursday that the A’s will temporarily relocate to West Sacramento's Sutter Health Park for at least three seasons. The A's are moving to Las Vegas after a new ballpark is constructed.

The River Cats, who are affiliated with the San Francisco Giants, will continue to play at the same facility.

Fisher was unable to reach an agreement with Oakland city officials on extending the lease at Oakland Coliseum, which expires at the end of this season. The A's have played in the city since 1968.

“There's direction now, which we've talked a lot about,” Oakland A's manager Mark Kotsay said. “We've got time to kind of reflect on what this really means from an organizational standpoint, the history that we've had in Oakland, with this being now the final season. There's a lot of emotion that goes behind this.”

It will not only cause some upheaval for the players and staff but also members of the organization that work behind the scenes.

“At the end of the day, we know where we're going to be for the next three seasons after the finish this year and that in itself gives a little bit of stability,” Kotsay said. “At the same time, in the present, it's challenging in certain ways to think about the finality of this organization in Oakland.”

Sacramento will be a much smaller environment to house a major league team. Ranadivé said the River Cats venue currently seats 16,000 when counting the stands, the lawn behind center field and standing room only.

First baseman Ryan Noda is concerned with the facilities. He's hopeful that significant upgrades will be made, much like the Toronto Blue Jays did at Buffalo's Triple-A facility. The Blue Jays played at Buffalo's Sahlen Field in 2020 in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“New walls, new dugouts, new locker rooms — everything they needed to become a big league stadium,” said Noda, who played some games in Sacramento as a minor leaguer. “As long as we can do something like that, then it'll be all right. But it's definitely going to be different than playing in stadiums that hold 40,000 people.”

Kotsay is confident the upgrades will occur.

“I know it will be of major league baseball quality,” he said. “It's has to be of major league baseball quality. I know the Players Association will make sure that takes place, as they did in Buffalo.”

For the rest of this season, the A's will have to deal with small home crowds and disappointed fans.

“We’re sad for the fans, the diehard fans, who always come to our games, always support us, always support the boys wearing the jersey,” Noda said.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Sacramento Kings owner Vivek Ranadive, center, shakes hands John Fisher, owner of the Oakland Athletics, before the start of a news conference where Fisher announced his team will leave Oakland after this season and play temporarily at a minor league park, during a news conference in West Sacramento, Calif., Thursday, April 4 2024.The A's announced the decision to play at the home of the Sacramento River Cats from 2025-27 with an option for 2028 on Thursday after being unable to reach an agreement to extend their lease in Oakland during that time. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)

John Fisher, owner of the Oakland Athletics baseball team, announces that his team will leave Oakland after this season and play temporarily at a minor league park, during a news conference in West Sacramento, Calif., Thursday, April 4, 2024. The A's announced the decision to play at the home of the Sacramento River Cats from 2025-27 with an option for 2028 on Thursday after being unable to reach an agreement to extend their lease in Oakland during that time. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)

Sutter Health Park, home of the Triple A team Sacramento River Cats, is shown in West Sacramento, Calif., Thursday, April 4, 2024. The Oakland Athletics announced the decision to play at the home of the Sacramento River Cats from 2025-27 with an option for 2028 on Thursday after being unable to reach an agreement to extend their lease in Oakland during that time. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)

Oakland Athletics manager Mark Kotsay walks to the dugout after making a pitching change during the eighth inning of the team's baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians in Oakland, Calif., Sunday, March 31, 2024. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)