The Pheu Thai Party is confident about securing all constituencies in their political stronghold, Chiang Mai, despite the growing popularity of the Move Forward Party (MFP). While acknowledging that the race is highly competitive, the party’s prime ministerial candidate, Srettha Thavisin, said on Wednesday that they believe they will take all the seats in the province as targeted. He also stated that the MFP and other parties were fiercely competing in Chiang Mai constituencies, and the MFP’s popularity was increasing in other parts of the country. However, he still believes that Pheu Thai will win with a majority of House seats.
Recently, a new tweet by fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra that reiterated his wish to return to Thailand sparked speculation that it might have something to do with Pheu Thai. However, Srettha Thavisin insisted that Thaksin’s tweets have nothing to do with the party. Thaksin, who has been living in self-imposed exile, tweeted that he wants to return home because of the birth of his latest grandchild and take care of him. One of Pheu Thai’s prime ministerial candidates, Paetongtarn “Ung Ing” Shinawatra, is the child’s mother.
Srettha Thavisin sympathized with Thaksin for not being able to return home over the past 17 years, emphasizing that Thaksin is a father and a grandfather. However, he made it clear that Thaksin’s future return has nothing to do with Pheu Thai. When asked to comment on speculation that Thaksin was tweeting messages he believed would help draw him some sympathy and Pheu Thai more votes, Srettha Thavisin said that Thaksin’s tweets also have nothing to do with the party.
Earlier, Bhumjaithai Party leader Anutin Charnvirakul criticized Pheu Thai for its eagerness to get hold of the Ministry of Transport even before the election results were known. However, Srettha Thavisin clarified his earlier remark, saying that his statement was in response to complaints from members of a taxi driver co-operative that he met recently. He stated that if Pheu Thai wins the election and becomes the government, the party will take care of problems facing taxi drivers’ cooperatives that are governed by the Ministry.
In conclusion, while the election is highly competitive, the Pheu Thai Party is confident about securing all constituencies in their political stronghold, Chiang Mai. They believe they will take all the seats in the province, despite the MFP’s rising popularity. Additionally, the party has clarified that Thaksin Shinawatra’s tweets have nothing to do with them and that they are committed to solving the problems faced by taxi drivers’ cooperatives under the Ministry of Transport, should they win the election.
