Democrats ready for fresh start: Abhisit

"The past is the past - no animosity should persist about the Thaksin regime or the old vs new power," Abhisit said in the campaign speech in Songkhla on Wednesday's night.

If the Democrats receive the mandate to form the coalition, justice will be allowed to run its course relating cases involving Thaksin who is entitled to defend himself just like other Thai citizens, he said, pledging not to interfere with the judicial review.

He said he would leave it up to the new Parliament to decide whether to grant amnesty to the 111 banned Thai Rak Thai Party executives penalised for electoral fraud. The government will be on the sidelines while the MPs debate on the amnesty issue, he added.

He vowed to implement his campaign pledges within 99 days of assuming office. He also repeated his stand that his coalition would definitely exclude the People Power Party.

Ranking Democrats, including Abhisit, have scheduled a campaign trial to the Eastern Seaboard on Friday and Saturday.

They plan to be out on the hustings with Pattaya nightlife workers on Saturday's night before returning to Bangkok at predawn to meet afterhour revellers on Khao San Road and greet morningshift workers in Khlong Toei.

The Nation