Thailand’s Election Campaign Heats Up

Thirty parties will take part in the July 3rd election in Thailand. It will be a tight race between the ruling Democrat Party and the opposition Puea Thai party. It looks like both parties will have to rely on the smaller parties to form a coalition government.

Puea Thai is the latest incarnation of ousted former premier Thaksin Shinawatra's Thai Rak Thai Party, which won an unprecedented two election landslides in 2001 and 2005.

The party chose Thaksin's youngest sister, Yingluck, for its prime ministerial candidate. But Thaksin controls Puea Thai from exile in Dubai, and the party’s marketing strategy is built around his image and his famous populist policies.

If the party wins, Yingluck will become the first woman prime minister in Thailand.

[Yingluck Shinawatra, Puea Thai Prime Ministerial Candidate]:
"I learn from his logic and his thinking and vision, so I think I can apply both business and politic to apply with the professional team in Puea Thai, so we believe and we are confident that we can deliver all the policy as fast as we can."

Puea Thai's stronghold is the vote-rich north and northeast and it has the backing of the powerful "red shirts" protest movement. However, that association could be a stigma that turns swing voters away, especially those tired of political upheaval.

An analyst says it will be almost impossible for Puea Thai to form a government unless they win a landslide election.

[Kan Yuenyong, Analyst, Siam Intelligence Unit]:
"If it's a normal election, I think Puea Thai could possibly win the election and can form a government by asking former coalition partners to join them. But this is Thailand's transition period so we can't just analyze like that, we have to look at the power behind each party or each side; so what I see is, the opposition side of Puea Thai party, they don't want Thaksin to be back."

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva's Democrat party is Thailand's oldest, but has not won a general election in two decades. It came to power only after the previous ruling party was dissolved in late 2008. The Democrats have sizable support in the south and Bangkok and are popular with middle-class voters.

[Abhisit Vejjajiva, Thai Prime Minister]:
"I insist that The Democrat Party have a clear policy view to move our country forward and to answer people's needs. I have visited many provinces, and so far, we have had very good feedback."

The Democrats is seen as the most capable party at handling the economy and the $25 million it earned at a recent fundraiser suggests business bigwigs are firmly behind it.

While the Democrats have powerful backing from conservative elites and the military top brass, they have struggled to win over the poor, which constitute the majority of Thai voters. So the party has launched a series of populist programs to try to broaden its support.

A survey by Suan Dusit University on Sunday showed 41 percent of those polled backing Yingluck's Puea Thai party, with the ruling Democrats at nearly 37 percent.