Abhisit spoke in Phuket promoting the "Special Economic Zone" to return power to local people, affirming no hostility to investors but emphasizing the government must uphold regulations. He proposed a new budget allocation approach that includes counting the hidden population as well as official residents.
At 18:00 on 30 Jan 2026, Abhisit Vejjajiva, leader of the Democrat Party, took the stage in Phuket to present his vision for driving the southern economy. He emphasized that "an honest country" is the key to resolving chronic problems such as shadow capital, traffic congestion, and waste management. He proposed a roadmap to elevate Phuket to a special economic zone. Abhisit said, "Although Phuket is the only province with economic growth exceeding 5% continuously while the national average is below 2%, this success comes with burdens for Phuket residents, especially corruption and foreign shadow capital groups building monopolistic business empires, controlling income within their networks and sending money abroad. We do not oppose investors, but the government must enforce rules and not neglect them, so Thai people do not lose opportunities. If we start with an honest country, these problems can be solved immediately."
"Regarding overcrowding and traffic, the crisis is worse than Bangkok’s. Large projects like tunnels and rail systems have been frozen due to centralized power in ministries in Bangkok. I propose a new budget allocation method that stops counting only official registered residents but also includes hidden populations and tourist numbers as the budget base. Additionally, companies operating in Phuket must register and pay taxes locally. The Democrat Party has a management model to develop Phuket into the ‘Phuket Metropolitan Special Economic Zone,’ focusing on decentralization through a pilot decentralization committee, avoiding years-long legislative delays, so Phuket residents have decision-making power on key issues such as: 1. Transport—approving electric bus projects or airport-linked transit without waiting for central approval; 2. Crisis management—investing in adequate water pumps and waste incinerators; 3. Tax incentives—using tax measures to encourage private investment in environmental and waste management. The party values the diversity of each area, whether Phuket as a global maritime and tourism hub or addressing agricultural issues in Rayong. The term ‘special economic zone’ is not just a fancy phrase but a carefully designed tool by the Democrats to let Phuket people determine their own future. With an honest country, resources will be fully utilized for the benefit of the people," Abhisit said.
