Abhisit says now is not the time for him to return to politics

He was speaking to reporters on Sunday while promoting Democrat Party’s tentative candidate Ornanong Kanchanachusak at the morning market on Thanon Chan Soi 18/7.

Also present were deputy party leader Ongart Klampaiboon, Watanya Bunnag, who chairs the party’s political innovation committee, and Suchatvee Suwansawat, chairman of Democrat’s Bangkok policies committee.

The group was greeted by several shoppers and vendors, with many handing flowers and garlands to Abhisit and Ornanong. Many also called on Abhisit to return to politics.

When a reporter asked Abhisit what he thought about his supporters’ call for him to return to politics, the former Democrat leader laughed and said: “It’s not the time, but I’m willing to support the party’s activities.”

When asked again if he would relent if the public’s call gets louder, he only smiled and said: “I’ll provide moral support to the party and all Democrats will move forward.”

Apparently broken-hearted after Bangkok voters shunned the Democrats in the 2019 election, Abhisit left the political arena to focus on his academic work. However, he continued serving as a non-executive member of the party.

Before the 2019 election, Abhisit as Democrat leader had said on television that the Democrat Party would not back former coup leader General Prayut Chan-o-cha as prime minister. At the time, Prayut and his Palang Pracharath Party were popular because the coup had brought peace and order to the capital.

Abhisit stepped down as Democrat leader when his party won zero House seats in Bangkok. He also quit as party-list MP because he did not want to follow the party’s decision to back Prayut as prime minister. Since then, he has been keeping a low profile as a politician and focusing on academic work.

The former party leader said he believes Ornanong will have a strong chance of winning votes in Bangkok’s Sathorn, Pathum Wan, Ratchathewi and Phya Thai districts because she has been visiting her constituents regularly.

As for whether he would be present when Democrat constituency candidates register their candidacy at the Thai-Japanese Youth Centre on Monday, Abhisit pointed at Ongart and said: “It’s up to the deputy leader”.