The United Thai Nation (UTN) Party has trumpeted the government's achievement in reviving Phuket's pandemic-battered tourism sector through its "sandbox" scheme.
The UTN is also planning a "Phase II" expansion of the popular tourism-stimulus "Rao Tiew Duay Kan" (We Travel Together) hotel subsidy campaign, said Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana, the Prime Minister's Office Minister, who is also the chief strategist of the UTN's southern constituencies.
Mr Thanakorn was commenting as he and UTN candidate Nuanjan Samartkhumban hit the campaign trail in the island province on Saturday.
The minister said Phuket tourism rebounded well with a post-pandemic surge in foreign arrivals.
The jump in arrivals, however, has bumped up airfares in general, prompting caretaker Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to instruct the Transport Ministry to deal with a problem that could cause the tourism industry's recovery to slow down if left unresolved.
Mr Thanakorn said the government deserves credit for implementing an effective and prompt tourism recovery measure by introducing the sandbox programme, a border reopening model for international travellers.
It allowed large and small business operators alike to weather the crisis and learn what it takes to adapt to unprecedented challenges and rebuild confidence.
He said the programme was a successful pilot that showed Thailand's resilience, which quickly rebuilt public confidence in the tourism industry.
If elected to form a government, the UTN party, many of whose members are currently holding governmental positions, would push for "Rao Tiew Duay Kan" Phase II -- with the target of attracting at least 27.5 million visitors to the kingdom this year, compared with 11 million arrivals last year.
The government is also preparing to bid for Phuket to host the Expo 2028.
Meanwhile, Ampai Jaengjam, 59, a UTN candidate standing in Si Sa Ket's Constituency 7, died from leukemia on Friday.
He was admitted to hospital on March 21 but was given permission from the doctor to be discharged last week to apply for MP candidacy on April 3 before returning to hospital to resume his treatment.
Triple tally
The Prachachart Party is determined to triple its MP tally in the May 14 poll to increase the legislative might needed to materialise its campaign promises.
The party had seven MPs before the House was dissolved last month. Pol Col Thawee Sodsong, the party secretary-general, said the party needs at least 20 MP seats to augment its power in parliament to push for laws to improve child welfare and education -- policies the party has campaigned extensively for.
He was speaking to supporters as he joined party candidate Abdulloh Molor in Constituency 7 of Songkhla on Saturday. Prachachart commands a stronghold in the lower southern provinces.
Pol Col Thawee said the party's campaign policy highlights include state care for children from before birth to seven years old, a child allowance of 4,500 baht a month and 3,000 baht a month in school assistance for 8-15 years old.
The party also promised to distribute at least 20 rai of agriculture land to farmers and maintain the price of rubber -- a prize crop for many families in the South -- at 80 baht per kilogramme.
Sister province
Developing Yasothon into a "sister province" of Suphan Buri, Chartthaipattana Party's political heartland, is high on the party's campaign agenda.
The party plans to secure water supplies for farmers in Yasothon by digging artesian wells where needed.
Chartthaipattana leader Varawut Silpa-archa told some 7,000 supporters at the party's major poll rally in Kut Chum district on Saturday that his party was committed to distributing enough water for farming and consumption to every household in the district where party candidate Trongsit Tangjaturavit is running.
Prapat Pothasuthon, the party secretary-general, said that historically, the party has had two MPs from Yasothon in past elections.
In the May 14 poll, the party hopes to win Constituencies 1 and 3.
He said Yasothon and Suphan Buri, where Chartthaipattana is based, are similar in many ways. They are both farming provinces, growing mostly rice.
Finding water sources and quality rice strains, among the party's election pledges, will improve the quality of life for people in Yasothon, Mr Prapat said.
Shallow policies
The Democrat Party has criticised poll promises of cash handouts, saying such policies are shallow and only serve a populist agenda.
At a campaign stop in Sukhothai on Saturday, Democrat leader Jurin Laksanawisit said the Democrats are uninterested in giving cash handouts.
Its focus has more to do with measures to generate money for the country through invigorating the export sector.
Mr Jurin said that as a long-serving commerce minister, he knows what needs to be done to achieve the target.
"That's what sets us apart from other parties. Handing out cash isn't sustainable," he said.
Mr Jurin warned people to be wary of "casual and shallow" policies.
