“Abhisit” led Democrat Party candidates to urgently listen to education issues at an Opportunity Expansion School in Nonthaburi Province, revealing fewer students, free education not being genuine, insufficient lunch allowances, and the spread of drugs, e-cigarettes, and cannabis.
At 08:30 on 8 Jan 2026 GMT+7 in Nonthaburi Province, Mr. Abhisit Vejjajiva, leader of the Democrat Party and the party’s first prime ministerial candidate, along with Mr. Mekhin Iamsa-ard, deputy party leader overseeing the central region, and Mr. Eub Pongbungo, Democrat Party candidate for Nonthaburi’s 3rd electoral district, visited the area to hear about obstacles in the education system and teaching from the director of Wat Mai Phadung Khet School in Nonthaburi.
In initial discussions, problems were raised regarding the budget for subsidizing students’ lunch costs, which does not reflect reality or student numbers. For example, if the number of students is under 40, the lunch subsidy per student per day is 36 baht; but if there are more than 40 students, the subsidy drops to only 22 baht per student per day, which is insufficient. The school requested the Democrat Party to help push for adjustments that align with reality, as this affects the growth of students who are the nation’s future.
Later, Abhisit’s group met students engaging in activities on the flagpole square, speaking with grade 7 students and asking if they knew who he was. A grade 7 student replied, “Yes, you are the former Prime Minister of Thailand.” Abhisit responded, “Are you sure? I might be the new Prime Minister.” The student then replied, “That’s possible.”
Mr. Abhisit later revealed that he came intentionally to an Opportunity Expansion School because these schools vary in form and face different challenges. Opportunity Expansion Schools are similar in size to small schools and offer education only up to grade 9, with most students moving on to vocational tracks. It was noted that other areas are starting to experience a decline in student continuation rates. Today, they followed up on several policies previously implemented by the Democrat Party, such as free education, which still faces challenges and is not truly free due to budget constraints. This leads to hiring additional personnel. Fortunately, this school receives support from the Provincial Administrative Organization (PAO), likely the only such case compared to other areas.
He added that structural problems and inequalities remain visible, including issues with student loans from the Student Loan Fund (SLF), as well as social problems that complicate education management. Attention was drawn to increased attention deficit among children and substance abuse in the community, including e-cigarettes. During a visit to Nakhon Si Thammarat Province on 7 Jan 2026 GMT+7, there were also many reports about cannabis problems among students and youth.
