Thammanat says he is not boasting, confident of sweeping the entire Phayao province. He is unfazed by the Red and Orange parties campaigning, mocking that other parties can only dream of success. He dismisses newcomers as insignificant. He reveals Kla Tham Party internal polls predict winning 60 parliamentary seats in total.
At 17:00 on 6 February, at the Klong Thom market square (Ban Mo) in Chiang Kham district, Phayao province, the Kla Tham Party held its final campaign rally ahead of the 8 February election. It was led by Lieutenant Colonel Thammanat Prompao, party advisory chairman and prime ministerial candidate, campaigning to support Kla Tham candidates for the three Phayao parliamentary constituencies: constituency 1 - Akra Prompao; constituency 2 - Anurat Tanbanjong; and constituency 3 - Jeeradej Sriwirat.
Before taking the stage, Lieutenant Colonel Thammanat explained his choice to close the campaign in Phayao, saying this is his birthplace. He noted that major parties have presented their policies to Bangkok voters, but Kla Tham comes from grassroots people. Since he was born here, it is fitting to conclude the campaign here.
When asked if he was confident of sweeping the entire province again, Lieutenant Colonel Thammanat said anyone could see who has done what for the people of Phayao. He noted that in the 5-6 years since their involvement, the province has changed significantly. Infrastructure development in Phayao—including road, air, and rail—has all been accomplished by them. Therefore, there is no need to say much about how politicians in his era have performed; other parties should take note.
Asked about Kla Tham Party’s target number of parliamentary seats, Lieutenant Colonel Thammanat said he has campaigned in no fewer than 20 provinces and is confident about planting the green flag. How many seats they will secure remains to be seen. According to various polls, they expect about 40-50 seats, but their own internal poll projects over 60 seats.
When asked if the Red and Orange parties campaigning in Phayao concern him about losing votes compared to the previous election, Lieutenant Colonel Thammanat said he is not a dreamer, but other parties might be. Previously, some parties sent top candidates, but newcomers do not matter much. Even in the past, sending a top candidate brought only limited success. Therefore, this is not a problem. Phayao’s three constituencies have 500,000 voters; losing 10,000 to 20,000 votes is normal. He reiterated that he is not boasting.
