Pheu Thai to start 9-month pre-election campaign

Party leader Yongyuth Wichaidit, who is not an MP, told a press conference at its headquarters yesterday the campaign was aimed at promoting democracy and educating citizens of different regions about the country's political system of constitutional monarchy.

Pheu Thai deputy spokesman Jirayu Huangsap said the campaign, focusing on provinces in the North, the Northeast and the Central region, would be divided into three periods of three months each from this month to next March.

The campaign would begin on July 29 in the northern province of Lamphun, and later in Kamphaeng Phet, Surin, Si Sa Ket, Nong Khai, and Ratchaburi, said the spokesman, who noted that all of those provinces were not under the state of emergency.

In Lamphun on the same day, a religious ceremony is planned at a temple to mark the birthday of the party's major supporter Thaksin Shinawatra on July 26, Pheu Thai MP Surawit Konsomboon said.

He said that unlike in past years, Pheu Thai would not formally hold Thaksin's birthday celebration at its headquarters but that the party's local offices were free to mark the occasion.

At today's seminar of Pheu Thai MPs from the Northeast in preparation for the next general election, a religious ceremony is planned to mark Thaksin's birthday, according to the MP from Chaiyaphum, who said the seminar would be chaired by Thaksin's brother Payap, the party's Northeastern region chief.

Jirayu said the party's pre-election campaign over the next nine months would incorporate door-to-door visits to local constituents by MPs and party executives, public events involving addresses by senior party figures, and multimedia exhibitions titled "Seven Days and Seven Pains of the People".

He said the exhibition would first be held at the party's headquarters from next Monday to July 25 before being moved to other provinces where the campaign takes place. The exhibition focuses on alleged irregularities by the government, its alleged maltreatment of protestors, and cover-ups over the recent political unrest, the spokesman said.

The party also plans to call press conferences every day next week. Monday's is about Pheu Thai's standpoint and ideology, and it is expected to be attended by local and foreign media professionals as well as representatives from foreign embassies and international organisations, Jirayu said.