ID :
188628
Wed, 06/15/2011 - 05:01
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/188628
The shortlink copeid
ELECTION NOT DO-OR-DIE MISSION FOR ABHISIT, THAKSIN
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has dismissed the July 3 general election as a do-or-die mission, either for him or former premier Thaksin Shinawatra.
He said the interest of the country was far more important than any
individual.
"It is a real test, not for myself and my career but for my country. My country is far more important than just one man," he said in an exclusive interview with five international news agencies and newspapers here.
The news agencies are Bloomberg, Kyodo and Bernama and the two newspapers are Asahi Shimbun (Japan) and Neue Zurcher Zeitung (Germany).
He was asked to comment on some analyses that the forthcoming election was a do-or-die mission for Thaksin who wanted to make a comeback after living in self-imposed exile, as well as for Abhisit, as the latter's Democrat party had never governed the country for two consecutive terms.
Thaksin's six-year premiership ended prematurely due to a bloodless coup in Sept 19, 2006 and now lives in exile after the Thai court found him guilty of corruption in 2008 and sentenced him in absentia to two years' imprisonment.
With 19 more days before polling, Abhisit wants the 48 million voters to put the interest of the nation first when casting their votes, and not his or Thaksin's political survival.
For the first time, Abhisit outlined two factors that contributed to the rising popularity of opposition party Pheu Thai as compared to his party, Democrat, as indicated by most of the opinion polls.
"People are frustrated with the government over the globally impacted high food prices, and the introduction of Thaksin's sister, Yingluck, as Pheu Thai's premiership candidate," he said.
He said the government was addressing the high food prices issue and some voters were not aware of the government's initiatives in cushioning the impact, including by controlling the price of cooking gas.
The overall food prices in the country have increased by about 10 per cent since last January, following the global trend of high demand and short supply of foods.
As for Yingluck's increasing popularity, Abhisit said it was normal for a first-timer politician to get better ratings in the beginning.
Yingluck, 43, is three years younger than Abhisit. She is the youngest of Thaksin's nine siblings.
Holding a bachelor's degree in political science from Chiangmai University and a master's degree in public administration from Kentucky State University, Yingluck is a successful businesswoman who is currently the president of SC Asset Corporation, a property development company.
According to most of the opinion polls, Yingluck and Pheu Thai have
overtaken Democrat's popularity after election campaign begun about a month ago, and they are still maintaining the momentum, thus far.
Abhisit still maintains earlier prediction that both Democrat and Pheu Thai would win a total of 400 seats in the new 500-seat House of Representatives.
His forecast was that both major parties would share about equal number of 200 seats while the remaining 100 seats would be shared by other small parties.
However, the Democrat leader cautioned that the 200 seats for each of the two major parties could change from time to time, as the election drew closer.
Democrat controlled 172 seats while Pheu Thai, 186, before the dissolution of Parliament on May 10.
On the other hand, Pheu Thai, in its latest prediction expected the party to score a landslide victory with 270 seats this time, due to its rising popularity.
Abhisit hoped to reverse his party's popularity in the next 19 days by explaining its policies to the voters.
-- BERNAMA
He said the interest of the country was far more important than any
individual.
"It is a real test, not for myself and my career but for my country. My country is far more important than just one man," he said in an exclusive interview with five international news agencies and newspapers here.
The news agencies are Bloomberg, Kyodo and Bernama and the two newspapers are Asahi Shimbun (Japan) and Neue Zurcher Zeitung (Germany).
He was asked to comment on some analyses that the forthcoming election was a do-or-die mission for Thaksin who wanted to make a comeback after living in self-imposed exile, as well as for Abhisit, as the latter's Democrat party had never governed the country for two consecutive terms.
Thaksin's six-year premiership ended prematurely due to a bloodless coup in Sept 19, 2006 and now lives in exile after the Thai court found him guilty of corruption in 2008 and sentenced him in absentia to two years' imprisonment.
With 19 more days before polling, Abhisit wants the 48 million voters to put the interest of the nation first when casting their votes, and not his or Thaksin's political survival.
For the first time, Abhisit outlined two factors that contributed to the rising popularity of opposition party Pheu Thai as compared to his party, Democrat, as indicated by most of the opinion polls.
"People are frustrated with the government over the globally impacted high food prices, and the introduction of Thaksin's sister, Yingluck, as Pheu Thai's premiership candidate," he said.
He said the government was addressing the high food prices issue and some voters were not aware of the government's initiatives in cushioning the impact, including by controlling the price of cooking gas.
The overall food prices in the country have increased by about 10 per cent since last January, following the global trend of high demand and short supply of foods.
As for Yingluck's increasing popularity, Abhisit said it was normal for a first-timer politician to get better ratings in the beginning.
Yingluck, 43, is three years younger than Abhisit. She is the youngest of Thaksin's nine siblings.
Holding a bachelor's degree in political science from Chiangmai University and a master's degree in public administration from Kentucky State University, Yingluck is a successful businesswoman who is currently the president of SC Asset Corporation, a property development company.
According to most of the opinion polls, Yingluck and Pheu Thai have
overtaken Democrat's popularity after election campaign begun about a month ago, and they are still maintaining the momentum, thus far.
Abhisit still maintains earlier prediction that both Democrat and Pheu Thai would win a total of 400 seats in the new 500-seat House of Representatives.
His forecast was that both major parties would share about equal number of 200 seats while the remaining 100 seats would be shared by other small parties.
However, the Democrat leader cautioned that the 200 seats for each of the two major parties could change from time to time, as the election drew closer.
Democrat controlled 172 seats while Pheu Thai, 186, before the dissolution of Parliament on May 10.
On the other hand, Pheu Thai, in its latest prediction expected the party to score a landslide victory with 270 seats this time, due to its rising popularity.
Abhisit hoped to reverse his party's popularity in the next 19 days by explaining its policies to the voters.
-- BERNAMA
