The Pheu Thai Party has now set the bar higher and is targeting at least 310 House seats -- not 250 -- to form a single-party government after the next general election.
Speaking at the party's general assembly on Thursday, Pheu Thai leader Cholnan Srikaew said the country has been plagued with problems and Pheu Thai will turn the situation around if it wins the election and forms a government.
He said the party originally looked for a landslide win with more than 250 House seats to defeat the 250 coup-appointed Senators who can co-elect a prime minister.
"But right now, we are no longer worried about the senators because we are confident we will be able to win more than 250 House seats," Dr Cholnan said, adding that opinion surveys showed the party enjoyed high popularity ratings in the North, Northeast, Central region and Bangkok.
"Pheu Thai is now seeking a popular mandate and to win at least 310 House seats to get rid of the Prayut regime and form a Pheu Thai government," he said, referring to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.
"Pheu Thai is ready to save the country from crisis with a set of well-thought-out policies."
He said the party would build on the success of its past policies with the help of technology and innovation to reduce national spending and increase people's incomes.
Policies include increasing the daily minimum wage to 600 baht, the minimum monthly salary for bachelor's degree holders to 25,000 baht, producing 20 million highly skilled workers, boosting tourism income to 3 trillion baht, raising farmers' income threefold within four years, and boosting economic growth by 5% a year, Dr Cholnan said.
Paetongtarn Shinawatra, Pheu Thai's chief adviser on public participation and innovation, said the party wants to form a solid single-party government with a prime minister who has a mandate from the people rather than being the Senate's choice.
"The goal of securing 310 House seats is a major task. Everyone in the party must pitch in to achieve it. We have to go full steam ahead," said Ms Paetongtarn, who is also head of the Pheu Thai Family and is the youngest daughter of fugitive ex-prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
Commenting on his unpaid leave from his job as president and chief executive of real estate developer Sansiri Plc, Srettha Thavisin, who serves as an adviser to Ms Paetongtarn, said he did so to help the election campaign.
