Big turnout at Saphan Hin for Democrats

PHUKET TOWN: Thousands of Democrat Party supporters gathered in Saphan Hin last night to listen to the Prime Minister before the national elections on Saturday, January 6. Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai and other Democrat Party ministers, Abhisit Vejjajiva, Surin Pitsuwan, Trairong Suwankiri, and Suthep Thaugsuban, took the stage in support of Phuket’s Democrat candidates for MP: Suwit Sa-Ngiamkul, for District 1, Chalermluck Kebsub for District 2 and Anchalee Vanich Thepabutra, running on the Democrat party list. Anchalee compared Thailand to a hospital patient who needs an experienced doctor in order to survive. She attacked New Aspiration Party leader General Chavalit Yongchaiyudh for causing all of Thailand’s problems. K. Anchalee added, “In this election, if we do not choose the right doctor then the patient may die.” Thaksin Shinawatra, leader of the Thai Rak Thai party, also came under fire from Khun Anchalee for failing in his 1996-election promise to solve traffic problems. Before speaking in Phuket, PM Chuan campaigned in Trang, and in Takuapa where a man threw two bags of eggs in the direction of the PM as he stood on the back of the truck he was using as a temporary podium. The eggs missed Chuan but hit a person in the crowd, and a political poster. Police arrested Prasit Poolkasem, 28, who confessed to throwing the eggs and Surasak Sake-San, 21, who admitted to driving a motorcycle for Prasit. Many plain-clothes police patrolled Saphan Hin because of the incident in Takuapa.