Optimism

Thailand's Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has been trying to spread a sense of optimism although his ruling Democrat Party is several percentage points behind the opposition Pheu Thai Party.

There is increasingly little doubt that the prime minister and his party, who have never won an election, are about to lose. This was not what Abhisit was hoping for when he dissolved parliament in May to pave the way for new elections.

However, at least officially, he is still hopeful. "We’ve been up and down the country," he recently said. "When we speak to people we get good responses. I think they recognize what we’ve done over the last couple of years but they’re facing tough times with high prices."

He added that his party had made some "solid proposals" to the people who could "see that their priorities are our priorities."

It seems as if he and his party, which generally caters to the urban and military elites, have realized - perhaps too late - that the rural and poor populations of Thailand also vote. In a bid to win over their support at this late stage, Abhisit has promised to increase the minimum wage and offer free education.

"We’re just going to carry on with our messages about moving the country forward, about what we’re doing for the people, to help them cope with high prices," he said.

He also insisted that his party would "place the people’s priorities as the next government’s priorities," as opposed to the Pheu Thai Party, which "will increasingly be seen as addressing Thaksin's problems more than the people's."

'Truth needs to be known'

Former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra is currently living in Dubai. His sister Yingluck is widely expected to win Sunday's elections and she is considered by many as a mere puppet.

Last year, tens of thousands of so-called "Red Shirts," who support the Shinawatras, took to the streets of Thailand’s capital to protest against the government and called for the prime minister to resign.

They occupied parts of downtown Bangkok for weeks before the army was sent in to quell the unrest. Over 90 people died in the ensuing violent clashes. Critics, including Red Shirts and certain Bangkok intellectuals, blame Abhisit for the deaths - he has called for a neutral investigation.

"I'm saying the truth needs to be known but I can confirm that the kind of wild allegations made against me - that I ordered a violent crackdown and killings - just don’t square up with the facts if you look at the chronology of events," he has insisted.

It is unclear whether the truth about the chain of command on that day will ever come to light. If the Pheu Thai Party wins the elections as expected, it will have to deal with its own set of bitter opponents – the monarchist "Yellow Shirts."

But in the run-up to Sunday, Abhisit has called for one thing: “Free and fair elections. Let's respect the decisions of the people on 3 July. Let’s respect the constitution that applies to everybody, the military included, and let the next government take the country forward, solve the people’s problems and not make themselves a self-serving government. That's the recipe for stability and progress in this country."

Author: Udo Schmidt / act
Editor: Ziphora Robina