Ex-Thai PM Abhisit Leads Democrat Comeback Before Election

Even though the former prime minister is behind other contenders in terms of support, he has contributed to the Democrats regaining conservative voters.

Passersby stopped ThailandThe former prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva occasionally requested selfies as the grey-haired leader moved through a lively market in Bangkok, campaigning for the general elections on Sunday.

“Nice to see you again, still as good-looking as ever,” remarked a noodle seller, highlighting the continued positive sentiment among voters towards the Oxford-educated economist, who is unexpectedly returning to active politics.

Abhisit’s return has sparked a resurgence for his Democrat Party, changing an election scene that previously appeared to be a three-way battle among the ruling party.Bhumjaithai Party, the progressive People’s Party and the populist Pheu Thai Party.

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“I simply wish to present an option and rejuvenate the party,” Abhisit, 61, mentioned while walking along a main street in the capital, greeting employees taking their lunch breaks.

Each time I interact with others, they express frustration over the limited options available.

Government worker Yuttapum Rattanamanee, a voter from the northeastern region, mentioned that he was one of four family members supporting the Democrats once more as Abhisit returned to head the party.

When Abhisit departed, the party lost its influence as public confidence in the leadership waned,” said the 37-year-old. “Abhisit is capable, skilled, and truthful.

The oldest political party in Thailand, the Democrats, had previously held strong influence in the south and Bangkok, but experienced a decline following a military coup in 2014.

Although there was positive sentiment, a survey conducted last week indicated that Abhisit would likely not secure sufficient backing to become prime minister.

However, he has assisted his party in regaining support from conservative voters following several years of ineffective initiatives, as stated by Olarn Thinbangtieo, a political scientist from Burapha University.

The initial drop was due to leadership that moved away from the party’s core values,” Olarn stated. “His return has boosted support.

As the prime minister between 2008 and 2011, Abhisit dealt with extended street demonstrations led by the “red shirt” populist group supported by a former prime minister.Thaksin Shinawatra, who also founded Pheu Thai.

In 2010, he authorized a military operation against protests in central Bangkok, resulting in 90 deaths, with human rights organizations attributing the casualties to “excessive and unwarranted lethal force” applied by security personnel aiming to reestablish control.

However, Thai courts rejected all criminal charges against Abhisit and senior officials, resulting in no convictions.

After the Democrats secured only 52 out of 500 seats in the 2019 general election, Abhisit withdrew from political life. By 2023, the party’s performance declined even more, managing to win only 25 seats.

Rise of the Democrats

Now the Democrats are gaining strength, with public opinion surveys mainly influenced by Abhisit’s individual charisma.

A poll conducted by the National Institute of Development Administration placed Abhisit third among potential prime ministerial contenders last week, with his Democrat Party securing the fourth position overall.

This implies the party might become a key player in discussions to establish a coalition following an election anticipated to result in no single party securing a clear majority.

The Democrats’ advances might result from the ruling Bhumjaithai losing support, causing a division among conservative and older voters across the country, Olarn noted.

However, the survey placed Abhisit in a distant third for prime minister, behind the leading candidate from the People’s Party, Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut, and the second-place Prime Minister.Anutin Charnvirakul

A significant portion of Abhisit’s backing stems from his party’s customary southern stronghold, areas that were severely affected by devastating floods in November, resulting in 145 fatalities across nine provinces.

In the key province of Songkhla, which experienced its highest one-day rainfall in 300 years, a January survey indicated Abhisit as the leading candidate for prime minister, significantly ahead of current leader Anutin.

“It implies that people from the south are returning, becoming more friendly towards us,” Abhisit stated.

However, capturing the capital, Thailand’s biggest electoral group with 33 seats and 4.5 million voters, which was largely won by a predecessor of the People’s Party in 2023, would be a challenging endeavor for the Democrats, he mentioned.

” Ideally, we would have preferred more preparation,” Abhisit mentioned, talking about the party’s campaign in Bangkok.

The early elections followed Anutin’s dissolution of parliament in December, during a intense border dispute with neighboring countries.Cambodia, which analysts claimed was scheduled to assist the governing party capitalize on rising nationalistic sentiment.

However, the present campaign is not entirely rooted in nostalgia for Abhisit, who was appointed prime minister at 44, following an early career as a member of parliament at 27.

It concerns changing the party as well as reinvigorating it,” he stated. “We are restoring the values that once garnered support for us.

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