Majority vital, says PM

[Coss]

From Bangkok Post

 

Democrats need to rule 'without limitations'

 

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva admits his first term in office ''faced tight limitations'', but with a majority of 250 plus seats from the election the Democrats would be unencumbered in enforcing their entire range of policies.

 

 

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva smiles during his visit to the office of the Bangkok Post for a special interview. KOSOL NAKACHOL

 

Mr Abhisit appealed to voters to give the Democrat Party a mandate to form a majority government.

 

If they do, he assured they will get everything the party has promised them.

 

Mr Abhisit said in a special interview with the Bangkok Post it will be in the Thais' best interest to vote for the Democrats in the general election and give it the 250 House seats the party needs to form a majority government.

 

''I will make a lot of changes and the people will get what they want from the Abhisit government,'' Mr Abhisit said.

 

He said his administration in its first term had to work within tight limitations.

 

During the past two years, the government had faced constraints as a result of the economic crisis and had to spend the two years addressing economic disparities and social inequalities before the situation had eased, he said.

 

Mr Abhisit said political factors _ including the riots over the past two years _ had also constrained the government from working efficiently.

 

The party needed an overwhelming majority so it could work more efficiently, he said.

 

Mr Abhisit admitted that opinion polls appeared to be in favour of Pheu Thai. ''Things appear to be moving in that direction,'' he said.

 

A Suan Dusit poll last week showed the Democrat Party's popularity ratings were trailing behind the Pheu Thai Party in all regions and even in Bangkok except in the South, the Democrats' stronghold.

 

However, Mr Abhisit called into question the figures by the Suan Dusit poll that indicated Pheu Thai were ahead of the Democrats by 51% to 34%.

 

He said a poll conducted by the Democrat Party showed the party was behind by no more than 20 seats.

 

The figures released by various poll agencies remained ''volatile'', Mr Abhisit said. He said Bangkok voters are still hard to predict and they are assessing the situation during the remaining 13 days ahead of the election before making their final decision as to who they will vote for. The actual figures on July 3 will be the most decisive, Mr Abhisit said.

 

Mr Abhisit also urged Yingluck Shinawatra, Pheu Thai's top party list candidate, to stop the red shirt supporters from disrupting other parties' election campaigning.

 

''Today I got an answer from Ms Yingluck that she cannot order the red shirts, which is worrying. If Pheu Thai becomes the government, will it allow the red shirts to determine its direction?'' Mr Abhisit said.

 

Mr Abhisit said Pheu Thai, the red shirts, Ms Yingluck and former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra cannot be separated, but now it is obvious that the red shirts are such a dominant force that Ms Yingluck cannot give them orders.

 

Mr Abhisit said Thais will prove that they will not give in to threats.

 

''If the 46 billion baht is given back to Thaksin [if Pheu Thai becomes the government] and all the problems come to an end, so be it. But I believe things won't actually end up that way,'' Mr Abhisit said. ''Things may end in Part

 

[One], but there could be more sequels in the future.''

 

However, if the Democrat Party is in opposition after the election, it will continue to oppose a move to grant amnesty to Thaksin, Mr Abhisit said, adding that the party's approach to the issue will be through parliament, not street protests.

 

Mr Abhisit said if the Democrat Party returns to power as the government, he would ask all the independent committees set up by his government to continue with their work. The committees include the Truth for Reconciliation Commission headed by Kanit na Nakorn, the National Reform Committee chaired by former prime minister Anand Panyarachun and the National Reform Assembly headed by social critic Prawase Wasi.

 

These panels have come up with key proposals, including reforming the power structure in Thai society, which is a significant issue, Mr Abhisit said.

 

He also said if he is voted into office for a second term, he will continue with measures to solve the economic problems and tackle drug trafficking problems.