Abhisit reaches out to 'friends' with a new Line account

“From tomorrow, my friends can talk to me at Line account @mark_abhisit,” Abhisit said in a short introductory video clip.
The freshly-opened chat room does not yet contain news and updates but some can be expected today, when Abhisit will celebrate his 53rd birthday.
The official Line account, which allows users to enjoy one-on-one conversations, has been widely used for commercial purposes, although Abhisit appears to be the first Thai politician to make use of it.
Politicians have been administratively inactive since the 2014 coup, which means they have to do more to keep themselves in the limelight.
Social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram are among popular channels used by politicians.
Abhisit's Facebook page got as many as 2.3 million “likes” with recent updates on his trips to heavily-flooded Sakon Nakhon.
That’s almost three times less than Yingluck Shinawatra from the rival Pheu Thai Party. The ex-PM, who is due to hear her court verdict later this month, got six million “likes”.
Her brother, ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra, also outnumbered Abhisit, with 2.5 million “likes” on his page.
Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha has no official online account. The retired general enjoys traditional communications, such as televised programme every week.