Democrat Party confident of strong showing in election due to improved public perception

The Democrat Party is confident of winning at least 70 MP seats in the upcoming election due to improved public perception of the party, especially in the South and in Bangkok. 

Democrat deputy leader and election director Nipon Boonyamanee spoke to the media about the party’s prospects.

Nipon said that based on the party's observations and its monitoring of the situation up till now, they were confident of a strong showing, especially in the southern region and Bangkok.

Hence, the party is quite confident that its goal of winning 70-80 seats in the upcoming general election is possible. Especially after Democrat Party leader Jurin Laksanawisit announced strategies to create wealth for the public and the country.

Niphon said the Democrat Party is confident of capturing at least 40 seats in the South. In Songkhla, the party is confident it would be a strong contender in all nine constituencies, Niphon said.

At present, the minimum number of seats the Democrat Party hopes to win nationwide is 70, even though the poll results in the Northeast suggest that the party could get fewer seats, Niphon added.

The party had won 53 seats and 10.92 per cent of the total vote in the 2019 general election.

According to Niphon, the Democrat Party is confident that the public believes in its ideology and various policies which the party has implemented for the country over the past 77 years. Many policies are being implemented to improve education and the quality of life of farmers with regard to income security, as well as policies to build a strong foundation for various occupations.

Some of the recent campaign pledges by the Democrat Party include free internet at 1 million locations nationwide, expanding free education through to college, free health checkups and general medical treatment for all Thais, 300 billion baht in fund to aid small businesses, price guarantees for 5 crops, 30,000 baht monthly subsidies to farmers per household, based on each having 15 rai (or 2.4 hectares) of farmland, free milk for school children daily, 100,000-baht subsidy to each group of local fishermen a year, issuing new land deeds for 1 million plots across the country within four years, ensuring land rights for people currently encroaching on state land, and 2 million baht in funding for every village community bank.

Based on the the party's survey and those of various polls, the general feeling is positive, he said he was confident that after campaigning for the remaining three weeks before the election, the party would increase its support and match its 2011 election of show of backing from 11 million people, Niphon added.

In this year's general election, all current party members, including former key party members like Chuan Leekpai, Banyat Bantadthan and Abhisit Vejjajiva are working closely and urging fellow citizens to support the Democratic Party as the main driving force for the country's future, Niphon added.