Palang Pracharath Party urges Chiang Mai voters to choose change in general election

The Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) has recently urged voters in Chiang Mai to vote for change in the upcoming general election. The party’s leader has advocated for a national reconciliation plan which, he claims, would lead to prosperity and sustainability for the country. Capt. Thamanat Prompow, head of the PPRP’s election strategy panel for the North, addressed a large crowd at a party rally in Chiang Mai’s Constituency 10. He emphasised that political divisions would only exacerbate the country’s existing issues.

Capt. Thamanat explained that prosperity and sustainability cannot be achieved if the country is engulfed in political conflicts. This is the reason why the PPRP is campaigning to promote national unity and put an end to the political polarisation that plagues the nation. He said…

“We’ll change Chiang Mai. We must dare to bring change.”

Addressing the crowd, PPRP deputy leader Chaiwut Thanakamanusorn stated that if the party wins the May 14 election and is able to form the next administration, its first priority will be to reduce the cost of living. Chiang Mai has traditionally been a stronghold for the Pheu Thai Party and is the hometown of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Deputy leader of the PPRP, Paiboon Nititawan, issued a warning to pollsters to strictly comply with election laws when conducting opinion polls. He emphasised that while the law does not prohibit polling organisations from conducting surveys prior to the general election, it does not tolerate biased reporting. If pollsters are found to intentionally mislead the public or manipulate results to encourage support for a particular candidate, they risk the punishment of between one and ten years in prison, along with a fine of up to 200,000 baht and revocation of election rights.

Paiboon highlighted that voters have the right to request the Election Commission (EC) investigate any pollsters they suspect of publishing misleading results. This serves to protect candidates from being placed at a disadvantage due to biased or manipulated surveys.

Meanwhile, the Chartpattanakla Party expressed confidence that it will make progress in the southern region by winning seats in Phuket and Songkhla. Based on the feedback gathered from campaign rallies and internal polls, deputy leader Atavit Suwanpakdee believes the party could emerge victorious in both Phuket constituencies and Songkhla’s Constituency 2.

Atavit downplayed the findings of opinion polls that place Chartpattanakla candidates far behind the frontrunner, pointing out that many such polls have been proven inaccurate in the past. He also noted the presence of a sizeable group of undecided voters as an indication that the election’s outcome is far from certain.

In the race for Bangkok, Atavit revealed that the party is carrying out an internal survey. He added that the party’s rating has been improving since they announced policies to tackle four key issues, including energy prices and loan interest rates. The Chartpattanakla Party has been careful not to fall into the trap of promoting populist policies to win support. Instead, they have chosen to focus their campaign on creating opportunities for the people.

For the Bhumjaithai Party, leader Anutin Charnvirakul has made granting a debt moratorium their top priority. He stated that this policy would be implemented within the first six months of gaining power. The three-year debt suspension proposal is viewed as the most urgent issue and will be pushed if the party forms the next government.

Anutin acknowledged the financial hardships faced by the public due to the Covid-19 pandemic and believes that suspending loan repayments for three years will provide debtors with some relief during the recovery period. He also assured that the government can assist by issuing bonds and negotiating with creditors. He said…

“This measure will ease the financial burden on debtors and help creditors avoid bad debts.”

Other high-priority policies for the Bhumjaithai Party include an emergency loan programme without a guarantor and a life insurance fund for people aged 60 and over. The 50,000-baht loan scheme is aimed at increasing liquidity for the public, while the free life insurance for the elderly will provide financial security for their families.

Anutin said…

“Our aim is to give people opportunities. We also believe that they have potential. If the party forms the next government, there will be progress in six months and sooner than that if I become prime minister.”