Democrats bet on Abhisit, tax cuts, and clean politics for election revival
Energised by the return of former prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, the Democrats are seeking to win back disillusioned supporters in what is shaping up to be a make-or-break election for Thailand’s oldest party next month.
Former supporters who voted for other conservative parties in the last two elections – along with an estimated one third of the electorate that remain undecided – are the Democrats’ main targets in the weeks ahead of polling day on February 8.
Following his re-election as Democrat leader in October, Abhisit reported “strong interest” and “clearer and warmer support” in the party’s old stronghold of Bangkok during his campaign visit earlier this month. Numerous residents told him they intended to “return to the Democrat fold”, he said.
The Democrats are campaigning on pledges to improve the quality of life, boost wealth, promote good governance, and eradicate “grey money” linked to criminal activity.
A lucky number?
Abhisit, the Democrats’ top prime ministerial candidate, recently unveiled a 27-point policy platform to match the party’s No 27 slot in the party-list ballot.
Hinting of a lucky number, he noted that he was first elected as an MP at age 27 and later served as Thailand’s 27th prime minister, from December 2008 to August 2011. “Also, the next election will create Thailand’s 27th House of Representatives,” he said.
The Democrat chief also said his party had an army of capable personnel to implement the policies.
Joining Abhisit at party headquarters on December 29 to unveil the campaign platform were the Democrats’ two other PM candidates – former finance minister Korn Chatikavanij and Asst Prof Karndee Leopairote, a futurologist and cryptocurrency guru. Korn and Karndee are deputy party leaders.
The Democrat Party’s 27 policies are organised under four key “pillars”: increasing income and decreasing expenditure, providing welfare to all vulnerable groups, ensuring education for all, and tackling national problems, including corruption, lack of transparency, money laundering, and narcotics.
Each pillar is designed to address major challenges facing Thai society.
Among its key policies are cutting personal income tax, increasing elderly and disabled welfare benefits, providing “truly free education” without hidden costs like travel and meals, establishing a unified natural disaster alert system, and strengthening the armed forces by offering recruits benefits such guaranteed civil service or military careers.
The Democrats also promise a maximum fare of 30 baht for trains and public buses, and a monthly child subsidy of 5,000 baht for the first year of life.
Other pledges include a national digital learning platform and “English for All” programme to boost workforce quality. The party also vowed a blanket “Super Act” to abolish obsolete laws without having to revise them one by one.
Crusade against ‘grey money’
Thailand’s oldest political player, which turns 80 in April, is also campaigning to break the stranglehold of “grey money” on Thai politics, amid widespread suspicion that billions laundered from online scams and illegal gambling are being used to buy seats in Parliament.
Democrat slogans include “Clear the sky to chase away grey clouds” and “Zero tolerance for grey money”.
Abhisit also used a recent campaign debate among party chiefs to rule out a post-election alliance with the Kla Tham Party, a focus of grey-money allegations. Other party leaders echoed his pledge to shun politicians linked to grey businesses but avoided naming names.
“We cannot join a government with the Kla Tham Party – absolutely not,” the Democrat leader declared as he announced conditions for joining a post-election coalition government.
The ex-PM stressed the election was a crucial opportunity to restore transparency in politics and government. “The most important thing is that the country must be governed with integrity,” he said.
Winning back former fans
Abhisit and his new executive board face a major challenge in winning back millions of disillusioned Democrat supporters who turned to other conservative parties in 2019 and 2023.
The 79-year-old party styles itself as liberal democratic, though most analysts classify it as conservative. Its popularity has plunged in recent years, with its seats in Parliament falling from 159 to 53 in the 2019 election and just 25 in the 2023 national vote.
In 2019, pollsters said Democrat supporters switched en masse to the Palang Pracharath Party, founded as a vehicle for coup leader General Prayut Chan-o-cha to return to power after five years heading a post-putsch administration.
In 2023, Prayut ran as the main prime ministerial candidate of a new party, United Thai Nation, which also lured conservative voters away from the Democrats.
The Democrat Party suffered major setbacks in its traditional strongholds of Bangkok and southern Thailand in the last two elections. It was wiped from the board in Bangkok in 2019, leading to Abhisit’s resignation as leader, while the conservative Bhumjaithai Party won several seats to break the Democrats’ hold on the South.