Bangkok: Abhisit Vejjajiva, leader of the Democrat Party, spearheaded a vigorous campaign effort as the party approaches the final stages of the election. Emphasizing his role as the "government game controller," Vejjajiva and his team highlighted key policies aimed at combating corruption, eradicating illicit capital, and building a sustainable economy.
According to Thai News Agency, the Democrat Party organized an early morning campaign walk and run, led by Vejjajiva, alongside his team and Bangkok parliamentary candidates. This demonstration was a bid to showcase their preparedness in the election's final stretch. The event took place on January 27th, a date symbolically aligned with the party's ballot number in the proportional representation system. During the campaign, the party declared its pivotal role in ensuring the new government operates with integrity and transparency, while focusing on urban quality of life improvements through "clean air" and "electric mass transit" policies.
In a lighthearted moment before the campaign activities, Vejjajiva quipped to other major political parties, "I'm sorry to say they will never have a day like us." He went on to outline the party's prioritization of Bangkok residents' urgent issues, particularly focusing on quality of life and environmental concerns. The Democrat Party pledged to tackle these through two main initiatives: a comprehensive Clean Air Act to address PM 2.5 pollution and a revised pricing structure for the Bangkok Mass Transit System (BTS) aimed at reducing public transportation costs.
Vejjajiva stressed the importance of electing the Democrat Party to enable it to act as the "game controller" in the next government. He detailed four main missions for the party: combating corruption, ensuring transparency, overcoming conflict through common ground on sensitive issues, and fostering a sustainable economy devoid of harmful populist policies.
Later in the morning, Vejjajiva and his team took a bus ride on Vibhavadi Rangsit Road, boarding bus number 27 to the Saphan Khwai area. This move was part of their strategy to directly communicate policies and engage with the public. The party's engagement continued as they met with residents around the Saphan Khwai intersection before re-boarding bus number 27 towards Victory Monument.