Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva plans to announce on Monday what his party will do to address these issues if it wins the upcoming election.

- Cost of living

The Democrats will eradicate monopolies that raise the price of energy sources such as gas, oil, electricity and water.

The Democrats want energy firms to subsidise domestic customers with profits they get from exports.

- Health problems

The Democrat Party will improve the Bt30 healthcare scheme so people receive good medicine and services. It will cut the Cabinet's expenses and give more per-head to the scheme.

The party also wants to develop preventive care and to increase the number of doctors for each village. These would take better care of villagers, visiting them each month.

The party will promote mothers feeding babies with their own milk in the first four months after birth. Later, the party will give milk powder for children under four years old.

- Education

The party wants basic education to be totally free, and will aim to cut costs for parents by moves such as preparing textbooks for children each semester. Books would have to be returned to school libraries at the end of each term so students in following years can re-use them.