The Four Major Thai Parties Explain The Main Policies They Will Take Into The Upcoming Election

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SPECIAL REPORT

The four major parties explain the main policies they will take into the upcoming election

By Thanatchai Khongsai,

Nersa Nerykhiew,

Wattana Khamchoo,

Samatcha Hoonsara

The Nation

After the prime minister sent a clear message that the House will be dissolved by the middle of the year, all political parties have been actively preparing for an election. The Nation has compiled a series of special reports on the run-up to the election. In the first part, reporters Thanatchai Khongsai, Nersa Nerykhiew, Wattana Khamchoo, Samatcha Hoonsara talk to core members in charge of each party's strategies.

Democrats: To focus on increasing people's incomes

Korbsak Sabhavasu, head of the election campaign team for the Democrat Party, said his party had already launched two public relations campaigns for the election.

He said the Democrats sent two messages through the campaigns. First, the party told voters the election could help the country develop further and if Thai people are well educated, Thailand can beat other countries who are trade rivals.

Second, the Democrats told voters they would try to help people to have more income. He said the party would help people not to struggle to make ends meet so they can benefit from economic growth.

As a result, Korbsak said, the Democrats had come up with "the people's agenda" - a policy to try to increase incomes for all groups of people.

The policy is based on calculations of daily minimum wages. When minimum wages are increased, other expenses will rise. As a result, the party saw that if the government was not able to increase people's incomes to be in line with living costs, Thailand could end up like African countries, where the were so many protest that the governments were eventually toppled.

"We need to do all we can to increase incomes for the people. I have repeatedly said that our incomes are lower than [world] standard while our expenses are up to the standard. So, when the global oil prices increase, we are affected and our quality of life will be lower than standard," Korbsak said.

In regard to tax reform plans, the Democrats want to overhaul the entire tax system. For example, taxes will have to be levied on legacies and land taxes will have to be reformed.

He said voters may be bored with the issue of tax reform as they have heard a lot but the Democrats would definitely implement changes.

If tax reforms could help salary earners pay less tax, they would have more money left. But Korbsak declined to say how such reform would be carried out. "I'll withhold the details for now, as the issue is very important."

He said the Democrats had also launched PR campaigns on other issues, such as traffic. They would also build new ports in Rayong and at Laem Chabang in Chon Buri.

The Democrats also want to build a high-speed train to link Bangkok and deep-sea ports. Such a train system would mean it would only take 25 minutes for people to travel to Pattaya and this would boost tourism in the seaside resort.

A new traffic system would make it unnecessary for trailer trucks to enter Bangkok and traffic in the capital would improve.

The party would also go ahead with construction of a Sino-Thai high-speed train in the Northeast, which would later be expanded to the South.

Korbsak said the figure "25", which is the Democrats has used in its campaign policy, came from the percentage of labourers, who make up a quarter (25 per cent) of the workforce. The figure has also been applied to other policies. For example, the party plans to provide 250,000 soft loans for university students and 250,000 community land deeds.

Korbsak expected that his party would capture between 180 to 190 House seats. He begged voters to elect as many Democrat candidates as possible so that they can score a landslide victory and have a chance to lead the next government and implement these policies.

Chart Thai Pattana to go ahead with political reform to bring about reconciliation

Chart Thai Pattana Party leader Chumpol Silapa-archa said his party's main selling point would be political reform through charter amendments to enhance democracy and tackle social injustice.

"The main policy that the Chart Thai Pattana will sell during the election campaign is about reconciliation because Thai society is now severely split," Chumpol said.

He said his party saw that all groups of people should back down and forget dissatisfaction about others and try to reconcile by giving priority to the public interest and well-being of the people.

He said Thais needed to be united because the country had not escaped the economic crisis yet and, worse still, Thailand also had conflicts with a neighbouring country.

Chumpol said all political groups had different standpoints and were ready to confront each other so reconciliation was the best way to end the political divide.

"Chart Thai Pattana will push for the use of sports competitions as a way to create reconciliation. We have studied reconciliation models of former South African president Nelson Mandela and we will use it as a model for the Thai situation.

"In the case of South Africa, Mandela used sports competitions as a tool to successfully bring about reconciliation. The sports competitions prompted all sides - black and white people - to turn to cooperate. The model has been cited as an example by other countries."

Chumpol said his party would focus on trying to win House seats from its current political bases in the Central region and Northeast.

The party would also try to make an in-road to 14 southern provinces after it won a seat in Narathiwat in the last election.

Chumpol said the party expected to remain a medium-sized entity and hoped to win the same number of House seats it had won in the past - about 40 to 50 MPs.

But Chart Thai Pattana had discarded its old image as a cunning party ready to join any coalition. "Now, we have a stand to protect the national interest and adhere to righteousness," Chumpol said.

Bhum Jai Thai aims at become the No 3 party

Deputy Interior Minister Boonjong, a deputy leader of Bhum Jai Thai Party, who is regarded as the right-hand man of de facto party chief Newin Chidchob, said they were now moving full stream ahead to try to become the third largest party in terms of MPs.

Boonjong said the party was now focussing on preparing its candidates to be able to reach out to voters. They were selecting candidates for each province by choosing its MPs and those who were keen to run on the party's banner.

Boonjong said candidates must be native residents of the provinces because native people would be close to and attached to local people. Bhum Jai Thai candidates must also be service-minded and be ready to serve the public. For example, they must have been local politicians who were close to the people.

Boonjong said the Bhum Jai Thai had already selected 80 to 90 per cent of its candidates.

As part of Bhum Jai Thai's campaign strategy, its candidates must work hard by visiting voters to create bonds with them and find out about their problems.

Candidates must report the problems they learn about from voters to the party so the party can adjust its policies accordingly. They could then inform voters about adjusted policies, and promise what the party can do for them if it wins the election.

Bhum Jai Thai's main selling point was that it would take care of people's careers and help to cut their living costs and boost their chance to do productive work.

Boonjong said the party's main political base was in the Northeast, as the party was formed by MPs from Isaan.

"But this doesn't mean that we will ignore voters in other regions. Our policy will be adapted for different regions and provinces because the problems in each region and province are different. Certain policies could be applied for particular regions, but policies about road and water resource developments could be applied to all regions."

Boonjong said Bhum Jai Thai would try to maintain its current number of House seats and win more seats in other constituencies where it fields candidates. "We will do our best and we are confident to be able to capture more seats. All in all, it will depend on the people's judgement."

Boonjong said the Bhum Jai Thai expected to win at least 57 MPs in the next election.

"Our main goal is to increase our House seats and we will have to work hard and be ready to serve the people."

Pheu Thai to continue the policies of Thai Rak Thai and People Power

Khanawat Wassinsangworn, deputy Pheu Thai Party leader and a member of the election strategic committee, said Pheu Thai had election policies for social, economic and political issues. These would continue from platforms of the Thai Rak Thai and People's Power parties, which had been welcomed by the public previously.

Since Pheu Thai came from the dissolved Thai Rak Thai and People's Power, it would keep platforms of these parties, he said.

"Our party policies will be announced once the House is dissolved because we fear that if we announce our platform now, some parties will copy it," Khanawat said, laughing.

He said the party's main goal was to increase the quality of life for labourers and farmers to help them become middle-class people and reduce the income gap between the rich and poor.

Pheu Thai's economic policies would focus on efforts to reduce people's costs while boosting their income and enhancing their chances to get work.

The party would also propose reforming the economic system to increase competitiveness and create a sustainable economic base in the long run, Khanawat said, claiming that policies would be largely different from those of the Democrats.

For social policies, the party would revive its universal healthcare program and launch a 'War on Drugs' programme, which was "successful" during the first Thaksin Shinawatra regime. He said an opinion survey found that the 'War on Drugs' was among policies most favoured by the public.

For political policies, Pheu Thai would try to bring about unity and reconciliation and tackle social rifts while creating democracy with participation from all walks of life.

Khanawat expressed confidence that Pheu Thai would win more than half of House seats because, he claimed, the public had become fed up with the Democrats after seeing it "fail" to administer the country and that the ruling coalition had committed massive corruption.

-- The Nation 2011-03-07

[whybother]

For social policies, the party would revive its universal healthcare program and launch a 'War on Drugs' programme, which was "successful" during the first Thaksin Shinawatra regime.

So the PTP are going to start charging 30 baht for something that is now free, and, more importantly, start killing innocent people in a new "War on Drugs"? Way to go PTP.

[timekeeper]

Pheu Thai Policy's:

1. bring back Thaksin

2. he will sort out the rest......

[Buchholz]

For social policies, the party would revive its universal healthcare program and launch a 'War on Drugs' programme, which was "successful" during the first Thaksin Shinawatra regime.

So the PTP are going to start charging 30 baht for something that is now free, and, more importantly, start killing innocent people in a new "War on Drugs"? Way to go PTP.

tut, tut... in their latest press briefing, they overlooked Boss Man's other priority from the other day... the highly successful OTOP program....

Thaksin urged the Pheu Thai Party to focus on the 30-baht health care scheme, One Tambon One Product or OTOP program, and drug suppression.

Once again proof that the man and the party is out-dated, irrelevant and useless.

Three focus-points that is already too late, worthless and counter-productive (in that order).

[Thaddeus]

After reading the article the general feeling I get is that the Dems have some solid ideas for the betterment of all sections of Thai society, whereas the others have ideas for the betterment of themselves.

Is that about right?

[Payboy]

But Chart Thai Pattana had discarded its old image as a cunning party ready to join any coalition.

Really?

[SICHONSTEVE]

For social policies, the party would revive its universal healthcare program and launch a 'War on Drugs' programme, which was "successful" during the first Thaksin Shinawatra regime.

So the PTP are going to start charging 30 baht for something that is now free, and, more importantly, start killing innocent people in a new "War on Drugs"? Way to go PTP.

I don't think somehow that the families of the 1,400 innocents (out of 2,500) that died during Thaksin's flawed drugs purge in 2003 would find this policy very popular.

[Buchholz]

Pheu Thai to continue the policies of Thai Rak Thai and People Power

Khanawat Wassinsangworn, Deputy Pheu Thai Party leader

For social policies, the party would revive its universal healthcare program and launch a 'War on Drugs' programme, which was "successful" during the first Thaksin Shinawatra regime. He said an opinion survey found that the 'War on Drugs' was among policies most favoured by the public.

The War on Drugs: Pheu Thai’s democratic deficit

Anyone with more than a passing familiarity with recent Thai history will recall what this particular “social policy” entailed. In January 2003, Thaksin Shinatwatra launched a campaign to rid “every square inch of the country” of drugs within three months. Blacklists of people supposedly involved in the drugs trade were drawn up by the police, village heads and the Office of the Narcotics Control Board, with 329,000 names eventually listed. As Chris Baker and Pasuk Phongpaichit write in Thaksin:

From February 1 onwards, the nightly television news opened with clip after clip of prone dead bodies. The newscasters announced that these were drug dealers who had been killed by other drug dealers to prevent them giving information to the authorities. This kind of killing was named kha tat ton, roughly “kill to cut and remove,” often translated as preemptive or silencing killings. For two months, the cumulative death toll was announced daily, increasing at an average daily rate of thirty. At the close of the three months, some 2,637 had been killed, of which officially 68 had been shot by the police in “self-defence”.

Many of the killings bore the hallmarks of professional hits; many victims were killed after reporting themselves to the police. The government did everything it could to publicise the death toll and statements made by Thaksin and his ministers made it clear they knew exactly what was happening. As Thaksin himself said: “With the traders, you must use hammer and fist, that is, act decisively and without mercy… If some drug traders die it will be a common thing. We have to send a message that they have to quit.” The killings were state policy.

Continues:

http://asiancorrespondent.com/49966/the-war-on-drugs-pheu-thais-democratic-deficit/

Siam Voices - March 10, 2011