Satit criticized the Anutin government’s traveling Cabinet meeting in Hat Yai, warning against seeing it merely as an electioneering exercise. He pointed out that the southern economy is sinking, with rubber and palm oil prices collapsing and efforts to resolve the southern unrest remaining unclear.
At 09:15 on 1 Sep 2026 GMT+7 at the Parliament, Satit Wongnongtoei, party-list MP and Deputy Leader of the Democrat Party, spoke about whether the traveling Cabinet meeting in Songkhla province could build a voter base and revive government popularity. He said, “If the Cabinet meeting is just for electioneering, it’s better not to do it. The problems in the South are greater than assumed, especially in the southern border provinces. Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has avoided visiting the area personally, sending others instead and holding public hearings, which have been numerous but seem to fall on deaf ears. Anutin’s stance remains unclear. Meanwhile, if the aim is to solve problems in Hat Yai, the Prime Minister has mentioned budgets twice but many budget items have yet to be released. What we are watching now is what concrete outcomes will come from the southern Cabinet meeting. For example, the Missing Link project, which aligns with the Democrat Party’s Southern Connect plan, is expected to have contract signings, but we need to see how detailed the government’s approach will be beyond contract signing and budget allocations, including other directions.”
Southern economy collapses: rubber and palm oil prices plunge, unclear resolution of southern unrest.
Satit continued, “The biggest issue being raised in the South right now, which the government has not addressed, concerns agricultural production and how to solve these problems going forward, such as palm oil and rubber. These are local issues, and the southern economy is deeply depressed, as tourism is not strong either. Therefore, the Cabinet meeting should not be just about electioneering. Without real results, it is meaningless. We are watching closely to see what the Cabinet meeting will concretely achieve.” When asked if Prime Minister Anutin’s visits could affect the Democrat Party’s voter base, Satit replied, “It doesn’t matter. If he works, southern people are ready to accept whoever delivers concrete results. How people decide politically is their own choice. We are open-minded and want to see the government work effectively, not just campaign.”