The Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) on Monday urged voters in Chiang Mai to vote for change in the general election, saying a national reconciliation plan touted by its leader would lead to prosperity and sustainability.
Capt Thamanat Prompow, head of Palang Pracharath's election strategy panel for the North, told the crowd at a party rally in Chiang Mai's Constituency 10 that political divisions would only rub salt in the country's wounds.
He said prosperity and sustainability cannot be achieved if the country is embroiled in political conflicts, which is the reason why the PPRP is campaigning to promote national unity and put an end to political polarisation.
"We'll change Chiang Mai. We must dare to bring change," he said.
Addressing the crowd, PPRP deputy leader Chaiwut Thanakamanusorn said the party would first bring down the cost of living if it wins the May 14 election and leads the next administration.
Chiang Mai is the hometown of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and a Pheu Thai Party stronghold.
POLLSTER WARNING
Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) deputy leader Paiboon Nititawan is warning pollsters to strictly comply with election law when conducting opinion polls.
He said while the law does not prohibit polling organisations from surveying public opinion in the lead-up to the general election, it does not allow biased reporting.
The pollsters can be held in violation of the election of MPs law if their opinion polls are found to intentionally mislead the public or are manipulated to persuade voters to favour a certain candidate, he said.
If any pollster is found to have violated the law, they will face between one and ten years in prison or/and a fine of up to 200,000 baht as well as revocation of election rights.
He said voters could ask the Election Commission (EC) to investigate if they suspect pollsters published survey results in a way that could encourage people to vote for certain candidates, putting others at a disadvantage.
SOUTHERN AIMS
The Chartpattanakla Party is confident it will make inroads in the southern region by winning seats in Phuket and Songkhla.
Citing public feedback from campaign rallies and in-depth internal polls, deputy leader Atavit Suwanpakdee said the party could emerge victorious in Phuket's Constituency 2 and Constituency 3 and Songkhla's Constituency 2.
He said the party might also pull off a surprise win in Phatthalung's Constituency 2, Chumphon's Constituency 2 and Songkhla's Constituency 9.
Mr Atavit downplayed the findings of opinion polls in which Chartpattanakla candidates appeared to be trailing far behind the frontrunner, saying many of these polls have been wrong in the past.
He also noted that the election outcome is far from certain because there is also a large group of undecided voters.
For the race in Bangkok, he said the party is conducting an internal survey, but its rating is improving after announcing policies to tackle four key issues, including energy prices and loan interest rates.
He said the Chartpattanakla Party would not resort to populist policies to win support like its rivals and will continue with its campaign that focuses on creating opportunities.
DEALING WITH DEBT
Granting a debt moratorium is the priority policy that will be implemented in the first six months of gaining power, said Bhumjaithai Party leader Anutin Charnvirakul.
He said the party has sorted out its campaign pledges and decided that the three-year debt suspension proposal is the most urgent and must be pushed if the party forms a government.
Mr Anutin said people were hard-hit by the Covid-19 pandemic, and the suspension of loan repayments for three years will give debtors room to breathe during the recovery period.
He said three years is a sufficient time period for people to recover and get back on their feet, and the government can help by issuing bonds and negotiating with creditors.
"This measure will ease the financial burden on debtors and help creditors avoid bad debts," he said.
According to Mr Anutin, an emergency loan programme without a guarantor and a life insurance fund for people aged 60 and over are also high on the party's agenda.
The 50,000-baht loan scheme will help boost people's liquidity while the free life insurance for the elderly, which is capped at 100,000 baht, will provide financial security for the insured's families, he 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," he said.
