“Abhisit” reveals intention to field candidates in all 400 districts, stresses no one monopolizes votes, ready to confront vote-buyers, accepts election date postponement due to unavoidable circumstances.
At 14:30 on 16 Dec 2025 GMT+7, the Democrat Party (DP), Abhisit Vejjajiva, party leader, commented on political popularity surveys showing increased support for the Democrat Party, saying that survey results can change at any time, so the party must remain committed to its work.
He believes voters who intend to choose the Democrat Party do so out of a desire to see a new political option that has been missing in recent years or over the past decade, and the party must prove it can be a choice and hope for the people.This applies to both policiesand election candidates.
Regarding the clarity of announcing candidates for MP and the party’s prime ministerial candidate, the party is conducting a primary vote process to be completed by 19 Dec. The selection committee will proceed afterward, and once finished, the party’s executive board will review it next week. He is confident this will be ready in time for the nomination period from 27-28 Dec.
Meanwhile, the list of those the party will support as prime minister will be finalized next week. Details of who will be on the list will be announced after the executive board meeting. The party intends to nominate candidates in all, or nearly all, of the 400 districts.
When asked about former Democrat MPs who have switched parties and whether the Democrat Party will field candidates against them, Abhisit said competition will proceed normally. The party is a political institution that has adhered to this approach for 80 years, transitioning through many eras and generations, continuously developing new people. Thus, when former members decide to join other parties, the Democrat Party’s duty is to cultivate new candidates to continue the party’s path.
When further asked whether the Democrat Party expects to win or unseat incumbents in former MP districts, Abhisit said no one monopolizes votes in any constituency nationwide. He knows that some voters now say that constituenciesare no longer influenced bypopularity but rather by money and gifts. However, the party fights on values, ideologies, policies, and individuals who will work effectively. If politics is allowed to be decided by money, he sees no way to solve the complex problems in the economy, politics,and society.
When asked about the possibility of postponing the 2026 election date to 8 Feb 2026 as set by the Election Commission (EC), Abhisit said he understands the current situation and legal conditions that the EC has set a constitutional timeline. However, the constitution allows for postponement in case of unavoidable necessity, which is the EC’s authority to decide. Therefore, he works on the assumption that the EC’s scheduled timeline will be followed but understands if there is a force majeure situation requiring postponement, it is lawful andsomethingeveryone must accept.. .