Chaiyachana, Deputy Leader of the Democrat Party, criticized the government for shutting its ears and eyes after the resolution rejected the establishment of a parliamentary committee to study the Land Bridge project. He condemned pro-government southern MPs, stating the essential matter is to listen to the people's voices, not just follow orders from party leaders.
31 May 2026 GMT+7 Mr. Chaiyachana Dechadecho, a party-list Member of Parliament (MP) and Deputy Leader of the Democrat Party, responsible for the southern region, expressed disappointment after the House of Representatives voted against establishing a special parliamentary committee (SPC) to study the issues and appropriateness of the infrastructure development project to enhance the Southern Economic Corridor, known as the Land Bridge project, a large-scale initiative with a budget as high as one trillion baht.
Mr. Chaiyachana stated that this enormous budget could be more concretely used to develop the southern economy and improve citizens’ quality of life. The Democrat Party has proposed infrastructure investment plans that broadly address public needs, such as constructing a southern motorway connecting Narathiwat province to Bangkok, upgrading rail transport with an electrified double-track system for passenger and freight services, and developing deep-sea ports on both the Gulf of Thailand and Andaman Sea sides. These proposals require budgets comparable to or less than the Land Bridge project but can distribute benefits more widely to local people and businesses.
“The government’s refusal to establish a special parliamentary committee to study the project details is a denial of the opportunity to hear public opinions and thoroughly examine the data, despite the project’s large scale and direct impact on the future of the country and the southern people,” he said.
At the same time, the Deputy Leader of the Democrat Party called on southern MPs from coalition parties to reconsider their positions and prioritize listening to their constituents over strictly following party resolutions. He stressed that all southern MPs should recognize their primary duty is to represent the people, not merely to comply with political party decisions, as every parliamentary decision directly affects the southern region’s future and the country’s long-term development.
He concluded by saying, “We are elected by the people of the south. The most important thing is to listen to their voices, not just to the party leaders’ orders. During campaigning, everyone says they will stand by and listen to the people. But when it comes time to decide, they ignore the people’s voices. The people’s voices become worthless.”