The Democrat Party sold tickets to a fundraising talk show to support their election campaign. Abhisit Vejjajiva opened up about his return to politics, revealed a four-level anti-corruption method to promote honest politics, and expressed confidence that the party is not extinct. He said that today the party is a variable factor and might become a leading force in 20 days.
At 14:30 on 17 Jan 2026 GMT+7, the Democrat Party held the “Gathering of Competent People” event to support party fundraising at KBank Siam Pichet Theater, 7th floor, Siam Square. The event featured the party’s three prime ministerial candidates: Abhisit Vejjajiva, party leader; Korn Chatikavanij; and Kanjana Liewpaisarn, along with Democrat Party MPs, party executives nationwide, and many supporters. Talk show seats were sold from 30,000 to 300,000 baht, with front-row seats closest to the stage priced at 300,000, 200,000, 100,000, 50,000, and 30,000 baht. The atmosphere was lively as Abhisit arrived, warmly greeting supporters who gave him flowers and took photos together. Attendees were invited to write their opinions on a board at the event entrance for the party to collect and categorize issues and feedback.
Abhisit Opens Up About His Return to Politics
On stage, Abhisit shared his vision, saying that while this is normally called a fundraising event in politics, given the current national situation, it is more than fundraising; it is everyone becoming part of building honest politics. He had previously said he would no longer engage in politics, but could not endure and had to return. Over the past two years, he lived through circumstances he never expected, including having to resign from the Democrat Party, which he loves and has been connected to since elementary school.
“I left not because I was uninterested in politics or the country, but because the political environment did not allow me to work according to my beliefs and ideals. During those two years, I encountered people everywhere who often said two things: first, ‘It's a pity about the party,’ which, though brief, was painful for someone who has been part of this home for a long time; and second, ‘How could you let the country be like this? How could you stay silent?’ We had to endure the decay of values that allowed widespread corruption, which destroyed everything in our country. Also, people with serious criminal records could escape consequences and still wield political power unbelievably. I felt ashamed when foreign guests or diplomats asked me if Thai politics was really like this. Some even told me not to return to politics, including a senior monk who said it was better to quit politics because someone like me was naive and unsuitable for politics,” Abhisit said.
Revealing a Four-Level Anti-Corruption Method to Promote Honest Politics
Abhisit continued that after changes in the party three months ago, he had the opportunity—not to rescue the party but to make it help rescue the nation. It was a difficult challenge. The phrase ‘It's a pity about the party’ from people in other parties made him realize that the Democrat Party is unlike others. It is a political institution gathering like-minded people to drive the country forward, not for self-interest or short-term election gains, but to pass the party to younger generations. This time, they declared to pursue ‘white politics’ without gray capital. Corruption abroad is classified into four levels: 1. Petty corruption, small bribes or tips, addressed by bureaucratic reform; 2. Project corruption, involving procurement fraud and kickbacks, tackled by laws mandating transparent bidding and technology use; 3. Position corruption, the worst in recent years, involving buying and selling government posts, which politicians favor because they face no accountability, fixed by making civil service transfers transparent and reducing arbitrary reshuffles; and 4. Policy corruption, corruption in policymaking causing conflicts and benefiting individuals. From now on, those involved in high-level policy decisions must disclose their business interests and networks. In short, these are the solutions proposed for the first 90 days.
Confident the Party Is Not Extinct, Now a Variable Factor, May Become a Key Player in 20 Days
“I feel somewhat reassured now because no one says we are extinct or a minor party anymore. People have started calling us a variable party. The only fear is that we might become a leading coalition partner, and we may not be ready if that happens in 20 days,” Abhisit said in closing.
Chaiwat Declares Fundraising Results Exceeded Expectations but Final Figures Not Yet Available
Chaiwat Bannawat, secretary-general of the Democrat Party, revealed that the party had already obtained permission from the Election Commission for the fundraising. Initially, they planned to sell dining tables as before, but after the election royal decree was announced, they adjusted the event to exclude dining. Even water was not provided at the talk show to strictly comply with legal regulations. He could not yet disclose how many tickets were sold, as some buyers did not attend the event. However, he admitted that the results exceeded expectations, with donations still coming in. All details will be reported to the Election Commission.
