Abhisit took the stage to close the major Democrat Party rally, revealing five critical points that are destroying the country's development. He stressed that in this kind of crisis, there must be a way to survive, not just a choice.
On 6 Feb 2026 GMT+7, at the One Bangkok Forum shopping center, the Democrat Party held a major rally in the final stretch before the 8 February election. Led by Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva, the event was lively from the afternoon.
The event's highlight was speeches by the party's three prime ministerial candidates: Abhisit Vejjajiva, Korn Chatikavanij, and Dr. Kanda Liuparoj, under the theme “What will the people gain by choosing the Democrat Party?”
At 8:00 p.m., Abhisit delivered the closing speech, beginning by thanking the public for attending the Democrat Party’s final rally before the 8 February election. He also thanked the party’s executive committee and colleagues who courageously stood beside him when he decided to return, working hard to prepare the party to enter and compete in the election.
He said that in the next two days, the people's decisions will critically affect everyone’s future and the country's future. This is the main issue he wanted to discuss with everyone today. Thailand has reached a point where multiple crises are seen as a dead end for the country’s development.
Abhisit continued that the dead ends include several issues. The first is corruption and shadow capital, which he said are destroying everything in the country. Corruption is not an abstract issue but destroys opportunities for Thai people and the Thai economy, affecting society and politics entirely.
The second dead end is the economic problem where Thailand cannot compete. It is no surprise that countries previously behind us are now closing the gap. He posed the question whether we want this to continue. He recalled that during Democrat Party governments, when visiting the south, rubber prices were good and no one demanded a 50-50 split at that time.
The third dead end is Thailand’s highly unequal economy, with a growing vulnerable population. As education is seen to decline in quality, it becomes difficult to see how those struggling can uplift themselves to a better status.
The fourth dead end is politics, where people still accept political agitation based on emotional manipulation. He questioned how it is possible for one party to claim it loves the nation while accusing another party of not loving it. He said that if parties truly love the nation, they should first address corruption within their own ranks.
The final dead end is problems arising externally. For example, the Thai-Cambodian border has seen clashes and fighting since last year and remains tense this year. Meanwhile, internal conflict in Myanmar’s border areas could affect future Thai-Myanmar relations. Additionally, unrest in the southern border provinces continues. Globally, conflict is intensifying. This is the current state of the country. These reasons motivated his return and discussions with colleagues about their duty to create alternatives for the country. It is now clear that this crisis is not just a choice but a survival pathway.