Suthep takes ACT's election campaign to red-shirt stronghold

Suthep takes ACT's election campaign to red-shirt stronghold

Former Bangkok Shutdown leader Suthep 'Kamnan' Thaugsuban says his Action Coalition for Thailand Party will field eight candidates in Udon Thani in the coming election. (File photos)
Former Bangkok Shutdown leader Suthep 'Kamnan' Thaugsuban says his Action Coalition for Thailand Party will field eight candidates in Udon Thani in the coming election. (File photos)

UDON THANI: Suthep Thaugsuban, co-founder of the Action Coalition for Thailand (ACT) Party, took his campaign walk to the Northeast and "red country" on Wednesday to seek voter support.

The ACT Party continued its activity described as "walks to pay respect to the land" in Udon Thani. The activity began last October.

Mr Suthep led other party co-founders and election candidates planning to contest the province's eight constituencies to meet the public at commercial and economic areas in central Udon Thani.

They were greeted by vendors and residents. The activity proceeded smoothly without resistance from any rival groups. Police and plainclothes officers were deployed to provide them with protection.

Mr Suthep said his group had received a warm welcome from residents as in other provinces. He was grateful that locals and vendors had given them food and snacks, he added.

''I notice that the people here are politically active and they are well-informed about our election candidates,'' Mr Suthep said.

He said the poll candidates were chosen by party members in the province through a primary vote. He said he believed they would win widespread support from residents.

Mr Suthep said he was not worried when he decided to lead his campaign walk to the red-shirt stronghold in the province.

He said people of all political groups should learn a lesson that they can respect each other and live in harmony even though they hold different political opinions. ''Several people here do not think along the same lines as me, but they are still kind to us. I believe Thais have learned a lesson and don't want to throw the country into chaos anymore,'' Mr Suthep said.

Asked if the ACT Party would still support Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to return as premier after the general election, Mr Suthep said that when Gen Prayut seized power in 2014, he had supported him to restore peace to the country and push for reform.

But he is now a member of the ACT Party, so all will depend on the party's resolution, Mr Suthep said. ''It is up to the people, because our party belongs to the people,'' he said.

Mr Suthep, a former secretary-general of the Democrat Party, had previously declared his support for Gen Prayut to remain in office to push for the implementation of reforms proposed by the now-defunct People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC), of which Mr Suthep was a leader.

The PDRC spearheaded the anti-government demonstrations against the Pheu Thai-led administration in late 2013, culminating in the May 2014 coup. Mr Suthep insisted he would not take any party executive posts or political positions in a post-election government. ''I will not run in the election. I help the ACT Party because I want it to truly represent the people and push for reform,'' Mr Suthep said.

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