"Abhisit" declared from the Isan stage that poverty will disappear, and the Democrat Party must be the "safe choice" for Thailand, reaffirming a 100% integrity pledge at Thung Si Mueang square in Ubon Ratchathani.
On 15 Jan 2026 GMT+7, the night market at Thung Si Mueang in Ubon Ratchathani province was bustling with energy as the Democrat Party held a "Tour Thung Thai Haa Jon" speech event. "Isan will end poverty through capable leadership." In Ubon Ratchathani, led by Mr. Abhisit Vejjajiva, Democrat Party leader; Dr. Kadee Liao-Piroj, deputy leader and prime minister candidate; Mr. Chaiwut Bannawat, party secretary; Mr. Sutat Ngernchuen; Dr. Supachai Sila, party-list candidate; and Mr. Thanaporn Somsri, candidate for Ubon Ratchathani Constituency 1, number 7, with a large crowd of citizens attending.
Dr. Kadee Liao-Piroj took the stage smiling and energized the crowd, sharing that his key inspiration to leave his academic and private sector roles to enter politics was because it was "a mother's hope." He saw his daughter, who graduated in neurobiology, forced to work abroad because Thailand lacked suitable quality jobs for talented people.
"I stepped into politics driven by my role as a mother wanting to keep my daughter close, wanting Thailand to have high-value jobs that attract talented people back to develop their homeland, especially here in Ubon Ratchathani," Dr. Kadee said determinedly. He added that having worked in the private sector, he had faced the 'wall' of corruption that dismissed good ideas simply because they refused to bow to a flawed system. Thus, the new Democrat Party under the concept "100% Integrity" is the only answer to free Thailand from the pit of conflict.
"Our country has never lacked talent or resources, but we lack the political will to truly work for the future. Honest politics is not just words but a foundation to avoid passing debt and problems to our children." Dr. Kadee concluded with gratitude toward the elderly, who have been the foundation of taxes and city development in the past, and announced a mission to bring AI and digital technology to create new jobs so all generations can progress together.
Mr. Abhisit took the stage to say that the Democrat Party has never aimed to just solve immediate problems because it sees itself as an institution that must stand alongside Thailand. Therefore, all actions must be responsible for the future. The party was not formed to make Abhisit prime minister and end there but to work for all citizens, their children, and Thailand's future.
He recalled the period when he had to resign from the Democrat Party—a decision he never imagined making—but after about two years, he was surprised that wherever he went, people still saw him as Democrat. Everyone asked why the country and politics were rife with corruption, politicians interested only in personal gain, betrayal, party switching, 'snakes,' and vote-buying, but the lives of Thai people and the country did not progress. They criticized him for letting this happen until former party leader Chuan Leekpai immediately approached him asking if he was ready, which gave him a task and about two to three weeks to rebuild the team.
A highlight of the Ubon Ratchathani speech event was a public Q&A session where attendees asked Mr. Abhisit about issues affecting the elderly, education, healthcare, and livelihoods. Mr. Abhisit responded that the Democrat Party considers all these issues, but if the country is not honest, nothing can progress. Policies become distorted, projects serve politicians' interests, and importantly, the economy is dominated by "foreign gray capital." The country is seen as a hub for scammers and call centers that defraud people worldwide and then launder money through our financial system.
Mr. Abhisit emphasized that the first priority is to build an honest country and crack down on corruption. Although it is not easy, they have fully prepared for this. They will make the government truly transparent with all information open for citizens and media scrutiny.
"If many people choose the Democrat Party, eventually they may have to invite us to join the government. The most important thing we will do is to pressure whoever forms the government to commit to honesty and integrity; otherwise, it won't start properly. This is the key condition for the Democrat Party to be in government. The gray areas exist but will be reduced to only the color on my shirt and the gray on my head because I’m worried people might not realize I am elderly," Mr. Abhisit said. Mr. Abhisit stated.
He concluded by saying that many say the Democrat Party is no longer a major party, but he asserted they have the opportunity to be large enough to shape the country's direction and government. If there is fear that one side will have a government unwilling to tackle corruption or foreign gray capital, and the other fears a government that stirs division by exploiting sensitive issues, then if the Democrat Party holds enough seats to be a key player, they are the safe choice to prevent both problems. Therefore, Ubon Ratchathani Constituency 1 should vote number 7 on the pink ballot, number 27.
