Krabi: Abhisit Vejjajiva visited Krabi province to campaign for parliamentary candidates, amidst a warm welcome from his loyal supporters. In his speech, he emphasized honest politics, opposing vote buying and selling, and combating illicit funding. He also pointed out that patriotism should not be monopolized by any single party, as this could incite nationalist sentiment and create division.
According to Thai News Agency, at 11:00 AM on January 30, 2026, at the Maharat Fresh Market in Pak Nam Subdistrict, Krabi Municipality, Krabi Province, Mr. Abhisit Vejjajiva, leader of the Democrat Party, along with his party team, met with over 500 people to campaign for the party's parliamentary candidates in Krabi Province. The candidates are: Constituency 1, Mr. Wasin Sirikiattikul (Number 4); Constituency 2, Ms. Kritaporn Butsaphet (Number 4); and Constituency 3, Mr. Sukiti Promthong (Number 1). Former Democrat Party MPs, Ms. Pimrapee Panvichatikul and Mr. Sakorn Kiawkhong, were also present to welcome the delegation.
Upon Mr. Abhisit's arrival, a large number of people lined up to present him with bouquets of flowers and request photos as souvenirs. Mr. Abhisit then addressed the crowd from a truck, briefly emphasizing the long-standing relationship with the people of Krabi, who had fought alongside him politically for decades. He stated that corruption has plagued Thailand for many years, impacting the nation's economy, which has seen stagnant growth over the past 10 years, allowing neighboring countries to surpass Thailand. He stressed that true change in the country must begin with restoring "honesty" in Thai politics. "Almost every problem stems from our lack of seriousness in combating corruption," he declared.
Regarding economic policies, he proposed proactive approaches for the people of Krabi: For the palm oil industry, the Democrat Party will push for systemic legislation to improve quality standards for export, building upon the party's successful income guarantee policy. For tourism, he will work to restore confidence among tourists, particularly Chinese visitors concerned about "grey market capitalism" and scammer gangs. Finally, Mr. Abhisit announced the continuation of social welfare initiatives started by the Democrat Party, such as education, reaffirming the commitment to truly free education by eliminating hidden costs that burden parents.
Following a meeting with the public, Mr. Abhisit stated that it was time for another political change. He emphasized the need to expel vote-buyers from the South and to reunite with the people to create honest politics. He reiterated that the Democrat Party had previously stood alongside the people of the South in this matter, and expressed confidence that on February 8th, the people of the South would once again join the Democrat Party in this effort, eliminating vote buying and selling.
Mr. Abhisit also stated that vote buying is quite severe in the South right now, but the Democrat Party is traveling to every province they visit, urging people not to succumb to vote buying and not to fall prey to shady interests.
Furthermore, Mr. Abhisit commented on the statement by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport, Mr. Pipat Ratchakitprakarn, that one must choose the patriotic side and that the Bhumjaithai Party is patriotic. Mr. Abhisit stated that he believes patriotism should not be monopolized and that using nationalist rhetoric could create division.