Former Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai actively campaigns to support Siripa Intawichian, Democrat Party candidate for Bangkok MP, in Soi Nathon, urging residents to break the cycle of vote-buying and selling.
On 5 Jan 2026 GMT+7, Mr. Chuan Leekpai, former leader of the Democrat Party, visited the area to assist Miss Siripa Intawichian, Democrat Party candidate number 5 for the Phaya Thai-Din Daeng constituency, in campaigning at Soi Nathon, Ratchadaphisek Soi 7. Mr. Chuan greeted residents at their homes, mostly communicating in the Southern Thai dialect.
Mr. Chuan said that this was his first day campaigning in Bangkok after helping with the campaign in the South. Regarding the party-list MPs, he believed the overall atmosphere for the Democrat Party had improved, but for constituency MPs, it remained difficult and uncertain because most candidates were newcomers with limited support bases, making it hard to gain new votes. However, he expected more votes in Bangkok this year.
About ten days into the campaign, the atmosphere had not been very lively. Mr. Chuan said this issue should be resolved after the local administrative elections (subdistrict administrative organizations) are completed. Once those are over, the confusion will clear, and the election situation should improve.
Mr. Chuan also added, “Some political parties may not care about campaigning because they have already paid heavily using money. I therefore urge residents to oppose this and break the vicious cycle of vote-buying and selling. If this can be stopped, the political atmosphere in Thailand will improve. If a campaign can raise awareness among people caught in this cycle, it will make politics better. When politics improves, everything else will improve as well.”